What Turns Men Off?

Nick Slade

Written by: Nick Slade

Nick Slade

Nick spent 20 years in the dating scene before marriage. He has always been the guy friends would come to for advice on relationships, and he developed a knack for giving helpful insights. After college, Nick was a disc jockey for a few years, when the love generation was still alive, so Nick has a lot of relevant experience to draw from when it comes to every aspect of dating, falling in love and screwing things up. He holds Bachelor's degree in humanities and a slew of master’s credits in journalism. Nick is a news junkie and tries to keep up on the latest non-fiction when he has time. He has published two books on how to win at dating and relationships.

Edited by: Lillian Castro

Lillian Castro

Lillian Guevara-Castro brings more than 30 years of journalism experience to ensure DatingAdvice articles have been edited for overall clarity, accuracy, and reader engagement. She has worked at The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, The Gwinnett Daily News, and The Gainesville Sun covering lifestyle topics.

Discuss This! Discuss This!
Advertiser Disclosure

The prettiest girl in the room can be the least desirable if she has habits that repel men. There are things at every stage of romance that men find to be turn-offs. But let’s concentrate on the things that turn men off in the early stages of meeting and dating.

Yes, it’s the 21st century, but men still want a lady. Cursing like a sailor, smoking, getting drunk and dressing or acting like a slut will not endear you to many men. Flirting with every guy you see and wearing way too much makeup or perfume can also make him forget those romantic desires that usually keep him focused on you.

Extremes are also a turn-off. Incessant talking begins to sound like horrible noise after a while, but too much silence with nothing to say might make you seem boring. Being clingy and possessive drives men crazy, but being obsessed with yourself or uninterested in anything he does also makes you unappealing.

Rebuffing his first kiss after a magical night that led him to believe you liked him a lot, even if it’s because of some hard and fast code you follow, will throw a bucket of cold water on the romance. But being too eager and willing too soon will eliminate the hunt that makes him feel like you are a worthwhile catch.

Too much public affection too soon is also a turn-off. Of course, men don’t like negative things — nagging, bad hygiene, stupidity and inexplicable tears, for instance.

And don’t say one thing if you mean the opposite…and don’t expect him to read your mind…and don’t tell him you’re fine when you’re really mad…and don’t laugh at his shirt…and don’t talk about your ex all night long…and…

Advertiser Disclosure

DatingAdvice.com is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison services to users. To keep this resource 100% free, we receive compensation from many of the offers listed on the site. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear across the site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). DatingAdvice.com does not include the entire universe of available offers. Editorial opinions expressed on the site are strictly our own and are not provided, endorsed, or approved by advertisers.

Our Editorial Review Policy

Our site is committed to publishing independent, accurate content guided by strict editorial guidelines. Before articles and reviews are published on our site, they undergo a thorough review process performed by a team of independent editors and subject-matter experts to ensure the content’s accuracy, timeliness, and impartiality. Our editorial team is separate and independent of our site’s advertisers, and the opinions they express on our site are their own. To read more about our team members and their editorial backgrounds, please visit our site’s About page.