A womanizer is typically classified as a man who is known for dating and using multiple women. He may be known for pursuing scandalous relationships and affairs while lying to one or more partners about maintaining a monogamous relationship with them.
Oftentimes, a womanizer is also extremely charismatic, charming, and in some cases, manipulative. Due to their wit, it can be difficult to spot a womanizer once you fall head over heels for one. Knowing how to spot the signs of a womanizer can help you to protect yourself the next time you head out on a date.
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1. He openly flirts with women in front of you
Even once you are committed to dating a womanizer, he will still openly flirt with other women in front of you. A womanizer will find it difficult to refrain from the opportunity to flirt with women, even if it makes you uncomfortable.
He will openly flirt with any woman he finds attractive, from waitresses to nurses. A womanizer will not always respect your feelings when it comes to flirting and crossing these boundaries.
2. He strings you along
One of the most frustrating aspects of dating a man with a reputation of being a womanizer is feeling strung along, regardless of how long you have known one another or dated each other. Even if he is adamant about committing to you, you may find yourself dealing with non-stop roadblocks throughout your relationship.
Feeling strung along can leave you lonely and unsatisfied, especially if you do not know where you stand with your partner. A womanizer will not likely understand your needs and he may not have an interest in tending to them, even if he has told you otherwise in the past.
3. He sounds too good to be true
Does your date or partner say everything you have ever wanted to hear? Does he seem perfect? Does he seem too good to be true due to the way he smooth-talks you? If so, you may be dealing with a womanizer, or at the very least, a manipulative man.
When a man sounds too good to be true, he is likely using his words to manipulate his prospective dates or partners. Oftentimes, it is possible to detect the man’s authenticity by simply listening to their words, tone, and how they speak about other topics.
If you believe the man you are seeing is manipulative or a womanizer, pay attention to how he speaks and what he says. If he speaks too smoothly and promises you the world, he is more than likely too good to be true.
4. He has a questionable past
Everyone has a past that they have changed from and outgrown. And while it is not fair to judge everyone based on their dating past, it is important to know if your current partner has a pattern of bad behavior. If the man you are seeing has a questionable and known past that involves cheating or womanizing, it may be a good idea to take a step back to reevaluate your relationship.
If you are interested in continuing a relationship with a man who has a questionable past, it is imperative to speak to him directly about the matter. Confronting his past as well as his behavior when it comes to dating and women is necessary in order to move forward with your relationship without bitterness and resentment.
5. He dresses over-the-top
Does your partner dress in suits and fancy attire even when you are headed out for a casual evening together? Does he often dress in clothing that is well above his means? While it is not always a tell-tale sign, womanizers have a tendency to dress well, even in the most casual and low-key settings.
While dressing well does not make a man a womanizer, most womanizers are well-dressed. Keep an eye out for a man who insists on always over-dressing and focusing on his looks and outward appearance. Men who are hyperfocused on their appearance and social status are more likely to pursue multiple women.
6. He is secretive
Keeping secrets is one of the most destructive acts in any relationship, especially romantic relationships where trust is a cornerstone. If you are dating someone who keeps secrets from you or is secretive even when you are together, he may be a womanizer.
If he is secretive and attempts to shy away when you ask him personal questions, there is a good chance he is hiding something from you. Hiding his phone and keeping his personal plans and schedule from you are signs that he may be up to no good with someone else.
7. You catch him lying
Womanizers are known for their stellar ability to lie and swindle their partners, even those they have been with for years or even decades. A womanizer has no problem with lying and will do it as often as necessary to get out of uncomfortable situations and to protect themselves. If you catch your partner lying often, he may be hiding even more from you.
Womanizers will not think twice about lying to their romantic partners, especially when they are involved with more than one simultaneously. Even if you have been committed to a womanizer for decades and you believe you are in a monogamous and committed relationship, he will not think twice when he lies in order to preserve his own reputation and to prevent his behavior from being discovered.
8. He is manipulative based on his needs
A womanizer will often use women to get what they want and disregard what the woman is interested in when it comes to their relationship. With a womanizer, it is not uncommon to feel as though he is manipulating you in order to pursue and fulfill his own needs. Womanizing men will manipulate those they are pursuing based on whether they are seeking company or sex.
If your partner is noticeably nicer to you when he is seeking sex or wants something from you, he may be using you to fulfill his own needs. If he is interested in you only when he is in the mood for company, he may be a womanizer.
9. He’s full of himself
It is extremely common for a womanizer to be considered a narcissist by those around him and, in some cases, even by his therapist. If you notice that he is full of himself and cannot stop talking about himself, he may be a womanizer with narcissistic tendencies. Womanizers who are full of themselves will enjoy bragging and boasting about themselves.
Most narcissistic womanizers will not present the self-awareness necessary to gauge whether or not those around them are interested in hearing them brag and share their stories. A narcissistic womanizer loves to brag about past relationships, sexual experiences, and will also flirt with other women in front of you, even if you believe you are in a committed relationship.
When you are dating a narcissistic womanizer, it is not unusual to feel alienated and alone, especially during conversations. A womanizer who is also narcissistic will pretend to be interested in what you have to say, but only when he is interested in getting something out of the conversation. When you are dating a womanizer who is also full of himself, you will likely feel unfulfilled.
10. He knows everything
In addition to being full of himself, another sign that the man you are dating is a womanizer is that he is a know-it-all. A know-it-all will express that he knows everything about everything without hesitation. If he is a womanizer, in addition to being a Mr. Know-it-all, he will often also claim to know everyone around him. He will claim that he understands how everyone around him lives, works, and thinks.
Dating a Mr. Know-it-all is not only frustrating, especially once you are committed to the relationship, but it can be extremely disheartening and exhausting. A man who pretends to know everything will hardly allow you an opportunity to get a word in. He will make it difficult for you to share your opinion without raising your voice or speaking over him.
11. He has a plan for everything
A man who is seeking a genuine connection with a woman will often allow her to take the lead, especially once you have become comfortable with each other. This could be as simple as choosing a place to dine or exploring a nearby location together. If you are dating a womanizer, however, you will rarely get the opportunity to make plans.
A womanizer often enjoys making plans for work as well as in his personal life — including his romantic plans. If he is seeing other women on the side, he will need to have as much control as possible over his schedule. When you are dating a man who is a potential womanizer, look for signs that he will not allow you to make plans for one another, even after you are living together or after you have committed to being monogamous with one another.
12. He gives you the vibe that he is pretending
Do you ever just get a vibe from a man that he is not being true to himself or authentic to you? If so, run — this is one of the biggest red flags you will encounter in the dating world. Trusting your gut and instincts can help prevent you from entering a relationship that is plagued with red flags and disappointments.
If you notice that the man you are dating often pretends when around others or “puts on a mask” whenever he is in public, there is a good chance that he is also not being true to himself even when he is around you. If he is overly attentive, positive, and happy around you, he is likely pretending to string you along. Always trust your gut when you believe that the vibe of someone you are dating is off, even if you are attracted to them and want to pursue them.
13. He takes more than he gives
A womanizer will be less interested in pleasing his partner and more interested in seeking out self-pleasure and partners who are extremely giving. Womanizers are also known as users, even if they do not use others nefariously. If the man you are dating expects you to buy more for him, drive him places, and sacrifice for him when he is not willing to do the same for you, you may be dating a womanizer.
When you are dating a womanizer, you will begin to notice that he is only interested in spending time with you if he is getting something out of it. Most of the meetings and dates a womanizer has are transactional and must benefit him in order for him to pursue them.
14. He breaks promises often
A man who breaks promises often and is making plans to go out with other women is a womanizer. When you are dating a man who is genuine and who is committed to you, he will stick to his plans and will not plague you with excuses.
For a womanizer, making promises is one of the quickest ways for him to attract a woman and to keep her interest, even when he has no intention of keeping those promises. A womanizer will break promises often to keep women strung along, especially if he is attracted to a woman physically but does not want her to get closer to him emotionally.
15. He uses your insecurities against you
A tell-tale sign that a man is a manipulator or a womanizer is that he uses your expressed insecurities against you. Sharing personal insecurities that you have and that you experience is difficult enough with those you trust, let alone a new romantic partner. If you have shared your insecurities with someone you are dating and he is using them against you, the chances are that he is a manipulator or a narcissistic womanizer.
A womanizer is more likely to pick on you and use your insecurities against you by making you feel bad about them. When you are dating a man who genuinely cares about you and is not trying to manipulate you, he will never bring up your insecurities or personal struggles to use against you, even when you are having a disagreement or argument.
16. He openly believes all women are the same
Men who believe all women are the same have typically experienced a relationship gone sour or even a traumatic experience involving a woman or a romantic relationship. If the man you are seeing openly expresses that he believes all women are the same, it may be best to run in the opposite direction.
Men and women who openly generalize and criticize the opposite gender as a whole often have deeper issues that need resolving. A womanizer will not miss an opportunity to generalize women and their perceived position in society. In addition to openly distancing themselves from women, a womanizer will also speak negatively about women in public and even around the women he is dating, with little to no regard for their feelings.
17. He enjoys making you jealous
Womanizing men get a rise out of making the women they are seeing jealous, even if it is detrimental to their relationship in the long run. If you notice that your man is getting enjoyment out of making you jealous, it may be time to take a step back from your relationship and reevaluate it.
Any man who enjoys making you jealous is not worth your time and will not likely respect you, even if you dedicate years to him. A womanizing man who enjoys making women jealous will not commit to a woman and will often break promises without feeling any semblance of remorse.
Knowing how to spot the signs of a womanizer can help you to avoid manipulative and predatory men while in the dating pool.