Knowing how to read basic body language and how to pick up on various social cues can come in handy when getting to know someone, when working in business, or even when dating someone romantically.
If someone raises their eyebrows while looking at you, it can mean a number of different things and involve various emotions.
When someone looks at you and raises their eyebrows, they may be flirting with you, frustrated with you, angry at you, or even intrigued by you.
Table of Contents
Why do people use their eyebrows to communicate?
The eyebrows are some of the most animated features that human beings possess.
Eyebrows are extremely expressive and allow us to share our feelings, emotions, and responses instantly, and at times, even subconsciously.
What can it mean when someone raises their eyebrows?
Raising your eyebrows can mean many different things, from feeling excited or interested in a topic to feeling shocked, angry, upset, and confused.
Learning how to gauge what someone’s eyebrows mean while they are looking at you is only possible by also gauging additional body language that they pair with their eyebrow movements.
How do I know what it means when someone is raising their eyebrows while looking at me?
It is not always easy to determine what someone means solely by looking at their eyebrows. In fact, it is often necessary to take into account any other additional posturing and body language behavior the individual is also participating in while they are looking at you.
Most of the time, the raising of eyebrows will also be paired with additional body language that can provide more insight into the potential meaning and/or motive of someone’s appearance.
What does it mean if someone is raising both eyebrows while looking at me?
If someone is looking directly at you and they are doing so while holding both of their eyebrows up, they may be surprised to see you, shocked, or in some cases, even upset with you.
Consider if you know the person and what your relationship is with one another before attempting to pinpoint how someone may be feeling while looking at you with both of their eyebrows raised.
Oftentimes, when someone is looking at you directly with both eyebrows raised, they may simply be shocked or curious about something you have said or done.
What does it mean when someone is raising just one eyebrow while looking in my direction?
If someone raises one eyebrow and looks at you, they may be curious about something you have done or said, or they may be upset or angry with you, depending on the circumstances.
Reasons someone may raise their eyebrow(s) when looking at someone else
Eyebrows can be extremely telling and reveal emotions both consciously as well as subconsciously.
When someone is looking at you and raising their eyebrows, they may be doing so purposefully and with intent, or they may be doing so unknowingly and subconsciously.
Some of the reasons that someone might raise their eyebrows while looking at someone else may include:
- They are shocked or taken aback about something that pertains to the person they are looking at or talking about.
- They are angry, confused, or frustrated with another individual and are showing their emotions either consciously or subconsciously, depending on the specific event or behavior they are responding to.
- They are flirting with another individual or attempting to further the type of contact they are having with another person, even if they are across the room and not currently in close contact.
- They are raising their eyebrows to respond to another conversation and are simply looking in your direction by accident or subconsciously.
How can I get someone to stop raising their eyebrows while looking at me?
If someone is raising their eyebrows at you or in your direction and it is making you feel uncomfortable, it is best to attempt to remove yourself from the situation and environment as quickly as possible, especially if you feel the individual is doing so while being hostile towards you.
It can also be as simple as looking away or moving out of the line of sight of the person who is looking at you or attempting to make contact with you using their eyebrows.
If you do not feel threatened, however, you can also choose to speak directly to the person who is raising their eyebrows at you to ask why they are doing so and if you are bothering them.
How to tell if someone is flirting with you or if someone is angry or confused by you
If you are not familiar with picking up on social cues or if you are not used to seeing others raise their eyebrows in your direction, it can be difficult to tell if someone is flirting with you or if they are experiencing a different emotion entirely.
If someone is flirting with you using their eyebrows, look for the following signs:
- He or she will likely be using just one eyebrow at a time to attempt to flirt with you.
- They will more than likely accompany their flirtatious eyebrow moves with a smirk, smile, or a longing gaze to attempt to invite you over to them.
- You will not feel that their eyebrows appear hostile or angry in any manner.
- They will try to maintain your attention while also turning their body towards you or motioning for you to come closer to them.
If someone is angry with you, shocked, or taken aback while they are raising their eyebrows as they look at you, check for the following signs:
- Their posture has changed and appears more defensive or offensive, depending on where you are standing and the current environment you are in.
- They appear angry and unapproachable.
- They are also staring directly at you without any emotion or with emotion that invokes anger or fear as a response.
- They are locked in on you and are unwilling to turn their gaze in another direction.
Is it normal to communicate by using your eyebrows?
Yes. It is extremely common and normal to communicate with the use of your eyebrows, as they are some of the most expressive features on the human body and face.
Using your eyebrows to communicate can help to give off subtle hints regarding how you are truly feeling about a certain person, the topic being discussed, or the situation that you may find yourself in.
When is it appropriate to raise your eyebrows at someone else?
Because the eyes and eyebrows are extremely expressive, it is not uncommon to raise your eyebrows in casual, dating, or personal scenarios.
Some of the scenarios where you might find yourself raising your own eyebrows at someone else may include:
- When you are attempting to communicate slyly and without drawing attention to yourself and to the individual you are looking at.
- Whenever you are feeling flirtatious and want to flirt from across the room using subtle hints and body language.
- If you are shocked at someone’s behavior and want to let them know discreetly.
- When you are feeling taken aback, angry, or betrayed by someone but cannot or will not express yourself vocally or in public.
- If you are trying to get closer to someone or send them signals that you are interested in communicating further.
The use of your eyebrows can go a long way whether you are sitting in a business meeting, discussing plans with your family, or even attempting to find a date in a crowded or public place.
Who is most likely to raise their eyebrows while looking at someone else?
Just about anyone has the ability to raise their eyebrows as a form of body language and personal expression.
Most often, there are no differences between both men and women when it comes to who is most likely to use various types of body language in an attempt to communicate with others.
Both men and women are just as likely to not only use their eyebrows as a form of conscious and subconscious communication but also their eyes.
How can I get better at communicating with my eyebrows?
Using your own eyebrows is a great way to communicate, especially once you are comfortable with using your eyebrow and eye muscles to shape your eyebrows to fit your mood and your body language.
One of the best ways to become more comfortable with the use of your own eyebrows is to practice speaking to yourself and responding to various scenarios in the mirror.
Practicing various scenarios in the mirror can help you to get a better look at your own face and facial expressions during a conversation.
You will also become more familiar with your facial structure and subconscious movements and responses you make for each individual scenario you attempt to play out with your eyebrows.
You can also choose to record yourself during different conversations and scenarios to learn more about how you respond in a variety of situations and conversations, regardless of who you are around.
How can I take more control of my eyebrows during conversations?
It is not always easy to manage and control your eyebrow movement, especially when you are in a heated conversation or if you are responding genuinely to something that is shocking, upsetting, or even flirtatious.
Maintaining the ability to control your eyebrows and their motions will require hard work and the ability to remain self-aware whenever you are in the middle of a conversation or attempting to communicate with someone else.
When you are conversing with others, keep your own actions, movements, and posture or body language in mind at all times.
Remain self-aware of your movements, how you are standing, as well as the tone of your voice while you are listening and responding to the other individual(s) in the room.
Is it bad to use your eyebrows as a form of expression while communicating?
No, it is one of the most natural forms of expression.
The use of the eyes and eyebrows come in handy when attempting to make contact with strangers or even when attempting to show your true feelings and emotions to those around you.
Whether you are angry, sad, shocked, frustrated, surprised, or even feeling flirty, knowing how to use your eyebrows while communicating can come in handy.
The eyebrows are extremely expressive and without them, it would be difficult to know how others feel about one another.
Using eyebrows while communicating and interpreting the body language of others can help you to read the room whether you are in a public space or if you are surrounded by friends and loved ones in any environment of your choice.