Being able to read a man is extremely important. Some of them aren’t great at telling you what they’re thinking so you often need to be the one to figure it out.
But it’s also not as easy as it sounds. A single look from a guy could mean one thing to him and something completely different to you.
It takes more than just a look in his direction to figure out how he’s feeling about you.
That being said, prolonged eye contact from a man might be the hardest body language to read.
What does prolonged eye contact mean from a man to a woman?
Truthfully, it could mean a number of different things. In order to figure out what this man is trying to tell you through is eyes alone, you’ll need some help.
Here’s what this behavior could mean when coming from a guy.
Table of Contents
1. He’s trying to get your attention
More often than not, a man who’s making prolonged eye contact with you is trying to get you to notice him. Otherwise, why would he be staring you down?
He’s doing it so you notice him. Think about it. If you turn around in a bar and just survey the crowd, who’s going to catch your eye?
The person who’s looking at you and maintains your eye contact.
Many guys who do this are shy or lack the confidence to approach you. He’s hoping by making eye contact that you’ll see him and walk over.
It’s simple enough to tell if this is the case. When you look over at him, does he smile? Does he hold your eyes and look back at you repeatedly?
If so, he’s probably trying to get your attention so you go talk to him.
2. He finds you attractive
A guy who’s holding your eye contact could also find you really attractive. You have to pay attention to his other body language cues to determine this for sure, though.
Does he smile at you? Is he getting a little flushed in the face?
These are signs his prolonged eye contact simply means he thinks you’re good-looking.
He might even catch your eye and then immediately look you up and down before landing back at your eyes.
If he does this and raises his eyebrows, he definitely thinks you’re attractive.
He’s also putting the ball in your court because this is a bold move to show you he’s into you.
3. He likes you
A man who’s into you will definitely be looking in your eyes. Not only is this an attempt to get your attention, but it’s also something people do subconsciously.
We all have a tendency to make eye contact with people we like. He might not even know he’s doing it.
Make sure this sign goes along with some body language that shows he likes you. He’ll lean toward you when he talks, face his entire body in your direction, and will smile often.
Plus, you’ll have really good conversation if he’s into you. He could even be consciously holding your eyes to show you how interested in you he really is.
4. He’s engaged in the conversation
When someone is really into a discussion, they’ll make prolonged eye contact with that person. It’s something he’ll do as a means to engage with you better.
Basically, he’s sucked in and you’ll know this by watching how long he’s making eye contact.
Someone who’s fully engaged in a conversation won’t be looking elsewhere.
This could also mean he’s intrigued by you and what you have to say. That could bode well for you if you’re interested in him.
Ultimately, this is a great sign when you’re talking to a guy you could see yourself dating. It means he respects you and is actually listening to what you have to say.
5. He’s trying not to stare at your cleavage
A guy who’s very obvious about the fact that he’s making eye contact might just be doing so to seem like a gentleman. This is evident if you’re wearing a shirt that exposes a ton of cleavage.
Obviously, cleavage is great and perfectly fine if you want to flaunt what you’ve got. But if you notice a large number of guys making prolonged eye contact, they could be trying to avoid looking like a pig that’s just staring at your boobs.
Mostly because it could be seen as disrespectful to you, which is also a good sign for him.
It means he cares more about forging a connection with you emotionally than checking out your boobs.
Keep note of this and it’ll show just how much a guy likes you.
6. He’s flirting with you
Prolonged eye contact is a huge sign of flirting. This is especially true if he’s smiling at you, leaning in close, and giving you all the vibes that he’s into you.
It’s yet another thing he’ll do if he wants to get closer to you. Watch when he’s holding eye contact with you, too. Is it after you’ve said something really flirty or after he’s suggested something a little risqué?
Look at the gleam in his eyes. People often convey more than they think just by the look in their eye. You can easily tell if he’s flirting if you pay enough attention.
He’ll be watching your eyes to see how you respond to his advances.
7. He’s just being polite
Eye contact is just polite. If you’re just talking to him and having friendly conversation, he might be holding the eye contact because it’s polite to do so during a discussion.
Don’t read too much into this if there are no other signs pointing to him being interested in you.
Remember, you make eye contact with people while just talking all the time. Does it mean anything special to every single person you make eye contact with?
No.
This could be the same for him and if you read into it further, it could be disappointing to you.
8. He was just spacing out
I know this isn’t exactly what you wanted to read here, but it’s necessary to point out. Sometimes a guy might not be making eye contact with you on purpose. It could be a complete accident and he’s just spacing out.
Don’t try to read too much into something unless it’s obvious he’s trying to make eye contact with you. Make sure he’s maintained that eye contact after a little while before thinking anything of it.
9. He’s confident and wants to show it
Someone who can hold prolonged eye contact with you with ease is really confident. They don’t have any reservations about what they’re doing and they’re not shy at all.
If anything, a guy who does this might be super confident and not afraid to show it. He’ll be holding your eyes for as long as he can in an attempt to show you he can handle anything.
In order to know if this is the case, watch his body. Does he stand up straight with his shoulders back? Does he talk and laugh loudly?
If you notice he’s maintaining some prolonged eye contact with you and seems super confident, he’s most likely doing so just to show you he is.
10. He’s talking about you
If you want to know if this is the case, you’ll have to be watching him from afar. Does he make eye contact with you while talking to someone nearby? If so, he could be chatting up his buddy about you.
Maybe he saw you from across the bar and thinks you’re worth talking about. Sometimes we end up staring at the thing or person we’re talking about and that may very well be the case in this situation.
11. He’s trying to be an alpha male
This might not be as obvious to you, but guys do this on purpose. It’s a means for him to gain the upper hand.
Prolonged eye contact can be a bit intimidating to the shy type. If he notices you’re a little uncomfortable by it, it’ll give his ego a boost.
Basically, it makes him feel manlier when he has the control and by giving you such strong eye contact, that’s what it does.
Alpha men will hold your gaze and not back down. It’s not just because their ego needs a boost, either.
It’s usually because he’s the type of guy to take control and command a situation. If you’re into this type of guy, it’s a great sign.
It means he’s in charge and more of a boss than other men.
Just make sure it also doesn’t mean he’s full of himself.
12. He’s laying down hints
We all know that guys aren’t always the best at conveying their emotions. They have a hard time outright admitting when they like someone.
Because of this, they might use prolonged eye contact as a method of showing you how he feels.
Just like women hint to men that they like them, guys do the same. By connecting with your eyes, he’s telling you that he’s interested in you.
He’s hinting for you to make a move or flirt with him so he knows it’s safe to flirt back. It can be a little tricky to tell if this is the case just because shy men tend to do this.
But if you notice him holding eye contact and smiling, chances are he wants you to make some sort of move that shows him it’s okay to pursue you.
13. He’s trying to connect with you on a deeper level
There’s only so many ways a guy can forge a connection with you.
In a crowded bar with people passing in front of you two with loud music and conversation that disrupts yours, prolonged eye contact might just be the best way to do that.
He might be trying to connect with you on an emotional level by holding your gaze. Psychologically, we feel more comfortable and closer to those we can easily make eye contact with. By doing this with you, he’s trying to create a connection even if you don’t know him that well.
He might not be doing this consciously, however. It’s not like he’s thinking about holding your eyes in order to do this.
It’s a subconscious way humans connect and relate to one another. By doing this to you, it’ll make you feel more comfortable around him and therefore, it’ll give him a better chance of getting to know you.
14. He’s thinking about doing something naughty with you
Have you ever heard of undressing someone with your eyes? Well, that could be what’s happening.
If a guy thinks you’re attractive, he might look at you and think of the different ways he could have you in bed. This might be evident through prolonged eye contact.
After he’s had his fill of your body, he might try to make eye contact with you as a means to undress you with his eyes.
This is a fairly obvious one because most guys can’t contain their excitement or intrigue. He’ll have a telling smile on his lips and a sexy gleam in his eyes.
Eye contact could mean a guy is super into you and it could also mean nothing at all. The key with prolonged eye contact is to also take into account the rest of his body language.
Only then can you tell what he’s really feeling.
Naturally, you’ll want to know how to make sure the guys you like are the ones looking at you.
And, yes, I get it. It’s easier said than done.
But our friends at His Secret Obsession have created a proven guide that shows you how to be that woman.
It’s a program that shows secret phrases you can use to make EVERY man fall completely in love with you.