What It Means When A Woman Makes Eye Contact With You (And What To Do Next)
When a woman makes eye contact with you, do this.
Getty Have you ever walked into a room, looked around at the crowd, and caught the eye of a woman that you find attractive and may be interested in dating?
The eyes are a window to the soul. So, when a woman makes eye contact with you and you return the gaze, you've given her a sign of interest and she's now aware of it.
And, if you're confident enough, you might even strike up a conversation that can lead to something more.
However, if you look away too soon, you not only show her that you're not interested, your confidence might even plummet.
What does it mean when a woman makes eye contact with you?
There are different levels of eye contact, so paying attention to the way she looks at you makes all the difference between a woman who's interested in you and a woman who's simply being friendly.
Three levels of eye contact from a woman and what they mean
1. If she makes eye contact with you and quickly looks away...
If she quickly glances at you and unintentionally catches your eye before nonchalantly looking away, she may not even be aware of your presence. Most people let their eyes wander without really focusing.
2. If makes eye contact with you and looks down but not away...
If she glances at you and your gazes meet and she immediately looks down (not away or to the side), this can indicate shyness and possibly attraction.
3, If she makes eye contact with you and hold your gaze briefly...
The next level is when a woman catches your eye and maintains it for a good while — about a fourth of a second — before breaking eye contact.
This shows their interest. Or, at least, they find you attractive enough to look at you longer than if they just happened to catch your eye. They may even look at you a second time if you maintain eye contact.
4. If she makes eye contact with you and doesn't look away for several seconds....
Of course, the highest level and most powerful eye contact involves catching your eye and maintaining the gaze for several seconds — two to three seconds, at least.
This one is even better if she adds a smile and doesn't break the gaze.
What to do next after a woman you're interested in makes eye contact with you
1. Return her look.
It may feel awkward and you might even be shy about it. But, if you're interested, returning her gaze and holding eye contact lets the message known. Plus, it will make you feel good to have had caught her eye.
2. Let your gaze linger.
If you catch her eye and she looks away, let your own gaze linger for just a few seconds before breaking eye contact.
If she really is interested, she might notice. But, if not, looking away is the polite thing to do.
3. Smile with your eyes.
An eye smile comes across as warm and inviting, rather than tough and cold. So, if she was a little interested before, she may be even more interested now.
4. Be open with your body language.
Turn your body in her direction. Make sure to uncross your arms so you don't look domineering or intimidating.
5. Talk to her.
If you're confident in the knowledge that she's interested in you as much as you are in her, make a move to introduce yourself. Shake her hand and give her a name.
Then, compliment her on anything but her looks. If you're in an environment surrounded by a potential common interest (like a gym, a music store, or even a coffee shop), ask her questions. Tell her a joke or ask her for an honest opinion.
Eyes meeting for the first time is the stuff of fairy tales and stories about love at first sight.
It can feel intimidating when a woman makes prolonged eye contact with you because she's making the first move.
But, if you don't feel confident, at all, take a deep breath and focus on the moment. Remember that you don't have to come across as intense and intimidating to appear confident.
Simply returning her gaze and flashing a smile lets her know that you noticed her, too.
Caithlin Pena is a writer and editor for YourTango who enjoys books, movies, and writing fictional short stories as a hobby.