15 Signs Someone Secretly Has a Crush on You
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Have you ever wondered if someone has a secret crush on you? You may have noticed some behaviors or subtle hints and not understood them. Signs of attraction might be like a foreign language to decode, but psychology provides some fascinating tricks to help us read them right.
According to data from the Pew Research Center, 47% of Americans believe dating has become more challenging than a decade ago. So, here are 15 psychologist-recommended signs a crush might sneak up on you and how to make the most of it.
Frequent Eye Contact
One of the most telling signs of attraction is prolonged eye contact. According to TOI Lifestyle, maintaining eye contact suggests that someone finds you appealing. But it’s not just about staring.
Often, people will try to steal glances when they think you’re not looking. This behavior is linked to interest and indicates they may be too shy to express their feelings openly.
Finding Excuses to Be Near You

Anyone who goes the extra mile to be close to you almost always aims to. By regularly appearing where you’re frequent or positioning themselves nearby in crowds, they likely wish to spend more time with you.
This was confirmed by evidence suggesting that familiarity creates desire. They usually try to get close to you to see if you detect their attempts at closer contact, which indicates a crush.
Extra Attention and Consideration
You’ve got a winner when someone laughs at all your jokes, recalls little details from earlier conversations, or provides unsolicited assistance.
Attention to detail and an openness to your interests are essential pillars of attraction, according to BetterHelp. That’s their attempt to get noticed and stick out to you, an effort many psychologists describe as a passive form of interest.
Initiating Frequent Communication
Whenever somebody calls or texts regularly, even at odd hours, they demonstrate that you’re on their mind. Evidence from MindBodyGreen suggests that people who engage in conversations regularly actively want to get closer.
Consistent interaction is not just about communicating but also about being in your presence and gaining information about you.
Subtle Signs of Jealousy
When someone is interested in you, jealousy sneaks in. If they are troubled when you mention others or seem protective when socially out, that indicates an interest.
This pattern emerges from studies online, where jealousy among possible lovers is a potent predictor of a crush.
Asking Personal Questions
Having someone interested in your life, interests, and experience speaks of curiosity and a desire to connect. BetterHelp states that it can be an extremely useful sign of attraction because it shows they care about your words.
They generally ask more complex than superficial questions out of curiosity about what you like.
Sharing Personal Details
Voicing personal stories and showing vulnerability are good indicators of trust and interest. According to BetterHelp, such behavior indicates they consider you someone worth sharing with—far beyond casual contact.
They welcome you into their world with their vulnerability to form a connection.
Extending Conversations
When someone goes above and beyond to keep a conversation going, they like your company and want more. This attempt to keep the conversation going by reintroducing a topic or responding with additional questions is one of the little-known, powerful cues of attraction.
When a conversation continues past your expectations, think about hidden interests.
Dilated Pupils
Physiological signals are almost always out of our control. Our pupils swell when we gaze at a person we fancy. This is an automatic action that few of us even know we have.
One study ScienceDirect shared points out that pupil dilation correlates with attraction, where our unconscious mind attempts to absorb as much visual content about the object of interest as possible. If you happen to look someone in the eye, be on the lookout for this faint but unmistakable clue.
Finding Reasons for Physical Contact
“Accidents,” such as strokes or pokes, can also be tactics to establish physical contact. These behaviors are often a sign of attraction.
These signals crack the touch barrier softly, announcing warmth and fascination. They are a chance for the two sides to assess comfort levels and potentially push things further.
Open and Inviting Body Language
Body language can inform you about hidden feelings. Open body language (straight arms and squinting toward you as you speak) is a deliberate signal of interest. People subconsciously imitate the body language of whoever they are interested in, Mindbodygreen suggests.
If someone is staring directly at you, scowling along with your words, or imitating you, they’re likely telling you they like you.
Nervous or Fidgety Behavior
Feeling anxious about someone they like is another reliable sign. Blushing, fiddling with attire, or struggling with sentences tells a character they are in the mood to impress.
ScienceDaily’s study of body language suggests that subtle nervous behaviors are laden with attraction. These behaviors are sometimes uncontrollable, so if you see someone acting this way toward you, it could be because of some subconscious attachment.
Voice Modulation
People may unconsciously alter their voice when they speak to someone they like. This pitch or tone change can indicate attraction.
A calmer voice is perceived as attractive, while a louder tone might signify anxiousness or anticipation. Watch someone’s voice as they speak to you and talk to others because you never know what it says.
Engaging Heavily with Your Posts
Someone interested in you may like, comment, or share your social media handles. This modern-day flirty act demonstrates you’re always their top priority.
You can imagine these online encounters as the virtual version of saying hello whenever they come.
Posting Content to Catch Your Eye
Sometimes, people share things they know will catch your attention—maybe something you both are into or some inside joke. It’s an indirect way of saying, “Look at me.”
That is how they try to make you talk to them on an emotional level.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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