Giving someone a compliment can be a tricky proposition. While it’s true that everyone likes to feel nice about themselves, sometimes, compliments can just make people feel worse.
Whether it’s by making them feel embarrassed or self-conscious, or by overdoing it and making them question your motives, it’s not too hard to turn a compliment into a social faux pas.
RELATED: Signs She’s Not Interested in You
The difficulty level can be turned up a notch when you’re a guy complimenting a woman. Your kind words could easily be interpreted as flattery designed to get you into her good graces — or her pants. And if she’s not looking for that kind of attention, or she’s simply not attracted to you, it can get awkward, fast.
So how do you compliment a woman — especially a woman you’re interested in — without making a cringe-worthy compliment mistake
Below, you’ll find the top 10 compliments women can’t resist (and why you should start using them ASAP).
“That was a good one, you’re so funny!”
Men are so preoccupied with the idea that they need to be the funny one in the relationship that they stifle their significant other’s attempts at humor. Sometimes, it can lead to an awkward dynamic where the girl feels under-appreciated because it seems like you’re always trying to outshine her.
If you show sincere appreciation for her humor, she’ll warm up to you as a result.
Letting your date, girlfriend, or wife know you find her funny is usually best communicated by simply laughing at her jokes, or responding with the cry-laugh emoji to her funny texts.
RELATED: How to Flirt Using Emojis
It can also be reinforced on occasion by letting her know in actual words (“you’re hilarious,” “you crack me up” or “you have such a sharp sense of humor”).
“I’ve learned so much from talking with you.”
Everyone likes to feel as though they bring valuable information to the table. Whether your love interest is book smart or street smart, let them know that you value their opinions and input, and are eager to learn from them.
Everyone brings something to the table in terms of knowledge, so think carefully about what your partner is teaching you, and compliment on that specifically so that it’s more genuine.
A more tailored way of delivering this compliment is by relating it to taste, noting that you appreciate what they watch, read, or listen to.
“You have such incredible eyes/lips/hair.”
Telling a woman she’s beautiful will usually be well-received, but it can be such a generic compliment that it occasionally comes across as a bit disingenuous. Go a step further by isolating her best features and targeting those specifically.
If she’s got amazing, full lips, tell her so, or if she’s got gleaming white teeth, hone in on that particular feature.
The more specific you are, the better. It shows that you’re paying attention! It’s also best to avoid focusing on cruder, more sexual body parts (her boobs or ass, for example) unless you have an established relationship and are sure that it won’t come off as creepy. Complimenting a woman on her skin, hair or nails, especially if they are particularly clear, glossy and strong respectively, can be a good move, too.
A lot of women put unheralded effort into those particular areas.
“I trust you implicitly.”
Jealousy can be an ugly dividing force in relationships, and if you have a tendency to let the green-eyed monster run a little wild, you should take stock of your partner’s loyalty. Compliment her for it!
After all, unless you have actual evidence that she’s cheated on you, she will appreciate some acknowledgment for staying true to you, especially if the norm for you is suspicious text messages and thinly-veiled accusations of flirting. Even though loyalty is something that should go without saying when you’ve committed to someone, that doesn’t mean you can’t show your gratitude for it.
“You’re not like anyone I’ve ever met before.”
This is not the same as saying, “you’re not like other girls,” which is unlikely to be well received by self-respecting women.
“You’re not like everyone else” acknowledges your significant other’s unique personality quirks and reassures her that you find them endearing rather than weird. We’d all like for our less conventional quirks and idiosyncrasies to be noticed and appreciated, because it means that we’re valued for who we are, not just the polished facade we adopt when we’re on our best behavior.
“You’re really good at what you do.”
Whatever the woman in your life does in terms of career, hobbies, or side hustles, chances are she’s looking to be noticed for her skills and success.
Pay attention to the craft that matters most to her. There’s no point complimenting her abilities at her 9-to-5 banking job if you know she finds it soul-destroying, but a meaningful compliment about her art will show that you care about the things she truly values.
A compliment like this will set you apart and make her feel warm and fuzzy.
“I feel like I’m so much better when I’m with you.”
We’re often complimented for fairly meaningless things in life: our outfits, external attributes, or how nice the things we buy are.
It’s very satisfying to know that the person we’re with appreciates us for so much more than the physical stuff. It strikes at the core of who you are as a person and your most selfless and very best qualities. If you tell your partner that you feel like you’re a better person when they’re around, it compliments them for being able to bring out, or enhance, qualities you didn’t know you had.
As cheesy as it may sound, they’re the other half that’s capable of making you feel whole. If you let your significant other know that, odds are she’ll be left swooning.
“You’re one of the sexiest women I’ve ever met.”
Keep this one for after a few dates, so you don’t come off as overtly focused on sex.
If you’re in a relationship, there’s a good chance your partner will want to be reassured that you find her attractive in a sexual way. Usually best for when you’re just about to get it on or when she’s looking and feeling her best, a “you’re so sexy”-style compliment like this can really be the icing on the cake to turn her on.
“You look amazing, as always.”
If you’re not especially close yet, complimenting a woman’s appearance can be delicate business. If you say something while she’s wearing a face full of makeup, she may feel as though you don’t like the way she looks when she’s more dressed down. Conversely, if you tell her you prefer her without makeup, she may take that as a sign that you find her too dolled up on other occasions.
For this reason, it’s best to keep compliments about her looks a bit more general instead of specific. The last thing you want is for something you’ve intended as a positive statement to make her feel worse about her appearance. It’s always a safe bet to say something such as, “you look great today,” or “you look amazing, as always.”
“You’re my favorite person to spend time with.”
Telling someone that you enjoy their company is about the simplest, sincerest compliment on earth. It’s always great to hear from someone you’re seeing that you’re their favorite person to spend time with.
Sometimes, long-term relationships lose their spark and passion that defines them early on. This can be a good way to reaffirm what your partner means to you, even if you’ve moved into comfortable, familiar territory.
Compliments are a simple way to improve your relationship while bolstering your partner’s self-esteem. The key with compliments is to make them thoughtful, specific, and related to things other than looks. If you’re being genuine and pointing out aspects you truly like about the person, you can’t go too wrong.
Be generous with your verbal affection, and hopefully, she’ll return the favor!
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Whether it’s by making them feel embarrassed or self-conscious, or by overdoing it and making them question your motives, it’s not too hard to turn a compliment into a social faux pas.
RELATED: Signs She’s Not Interested in You
The difficulty level can be turned up a notch when you’re a guy complimenting a woman. Your kind words could easily be interpreted as flattery designed to get you into her good graces — or her pants. And if she’s not looking for that kind of attention, or she’s simply not attracted to you, it can get awkward, fast.
So how do you compliment a woman — especially a woman you’re interested in — without making a cringe-worthy compliment mistake
Below, you’ll find the top 10 compliments women can’t resist (and why you should start using them ASAP).
“That was a good one, you’re so funny!”
Men are so preoccupied with the idea that they need to be the funny one in the relationship that they stifle their significant other’s attempts at humor. Sometimes, it can lead to an awkward dynamic where the girl feels under-appreciated because it seems like you’re always trying to outshine her.
If you show sincere appreciation for her humor, she’ll warm up to you as a result.
Letting your date, girlfriend, or wife know you find her funny is usually best communicated by simply laughing at her jokes, or responding with the cry-laugh emoji to her funny texts.
RELATED: How to Flirt Using Emojis
It can also be reinforced on occasion by letting her know in actual words (“you’re hilarious,” “you crack me up” or “you have such a sharp sense of humor”).
“I’ve learned so much from talking with you.”
Everyone likes to feel as though they bring valuable information to the table. Whether your love interest is book smart or street smart, let them know that you value their opinions and input, and are eager to learn from them.
Everyone brings something to the table in terms of knowledge, so think carefully about what your partner is teaching you, and compliment on that specifically so that it’s more genuine.
A more tailored way of delivering this compliment is by relating it to taste, noting that you appreciate what they watch, read, or listen to.
“You have such incredible eyes/lips/hair.”
Telling a woman she’s beautiful will usually be well-received, but it can be such a generic compliment that it occasionally comes across as a bit disingenuous. Go a step further by isolating her best features and targeting those specifically.
If she’s got amazing, full lips, tell her so, or if she’s got gleaming white teeth, hone in on that particular feature.
The more specific you are, the better. It shows that you’re paying attention! It’s also best to avoid focusing on cruder, more sexual body parts (her boobs or ass, for example) unless you have an established relationship and are sure that it won’t come off as creepy. Complimenting a woman on her skin, hair or nails, especially if they are particularly clear, glossy and strong respectively, can be a good move, too.
A lot of women put unheralded effort into those particular areas.
“I trust you implicitly.”
Jealousy can be an ugly dividing force in relationships, and if you have a tendency to let the green-eyed monster run a little wild, you should take stock of your partner’s loyalty. Compliment her for it!
After all, unless you have actual evidence that she’s cheated on you, she will appreciate some acknowledgment for staying true to you, especially if the norm for you is suspicious text messages and thinly-veiled accusations of flirting. Even though loyalty is something that should go without saying when you’ve committed to someone, that doesn’t mean you can’t show your gratitude for it.
“You’re not like anyone I’ve ever met before.”
This is not the same as saying, “you’re not like other girls,” which is unlikely to be well received by self-respecting women.
“You’re not like everyone else” acknowledges your significant other’s unique personality quirks and reassures her that you find them endearing rather than weird. We’d all like for our less conventional quirks and idiosyncrasies to be noticed and appreciated, because it means that we’re valued for who we are, not just the polished facade we adopt when we’re on our best behavior.
“You’re really good at what you do.”
Whatever the woman in your life does in terms of career, hobbies, or side hustles, chances are she’s looking to be noticed for her skills and success.
Pay attention to the craft that matters most to her. There’s no point complimenting her abilities at her 9-to-5 banking job if you know she finds it soul-destroying, but a meaningful compliment about her art will show that you care about the things she truly values.
A compliment like this will set you apart and make her feel warm and fuzzy.
“I feel like I’m so much better when I’m with you.”
We’re often complimented for fairly meaningless things in life: our outfits, external attributes, or how nice the things we buy are.
It’s very satisfying to know that the person we’re with appreciates us for so much more than the physical stuff. It strikes at the core of who you are as a person and your most selfless and very best qualities. If you tell your partner that you feel like you’re a better person when they’re around, it compliments them for being able to bring out, or enhance, qualities you didn’t know you had.
As cheesy as it may sound, they’re the other half that’s capable of making you feel whole. If you let your significant other know that, odds are she’ll be left swooning.
“You’re one of the sexiest women I’ve ever met.”
Keep this one for after a few dates, so you don’t come off as overtly focused on sex.
If you’re in a relationship, there’s a good chance your partner will want to be reassured that you find her attractive in a sexual way. Usually best for when you’re just about to get it on or when she’s looking and feeling her best, a “you’re so sexy”-style compliment like this can really be the icing on the cake to turn her on.
“You look amazing, as always.”
If you’re not especially close yet, complimenting a woman’s appearance can be delicate business. If you say something while she’s wearing a face full of makeup, she may feel as though you don’t like the way she looks when she’s more dressed down. Conversely, if you tell her you prefer her without makeup, she may take that as a sign that you find her too dolled up on other occasions.
For this reason, it’s best to keep compliments about her looks a bit more general instead of specific. The last thing you want is for something you’ve intended as a positive statement to make her feel worse about her appearance. It’s always a safe bet to say something such as, “you look great today,” or “you look amazing, as always.”
“You’re my favorite person to spend time with.”
Telling someone that you enjoy their company is about the simplest, sincerest compliment on earth. It’s always great to hear from someone you’re seeing that you’re their favorite person to spend time with.
Sometimes, long-term relationships lose their spark and passion that defines them early on. This can be a good way to reaffirm what your partner means to you, even if you’ve moved into comfortable, familiar territory.
Compliments are a simple way to improve your relationship while bolstering your partner’s self-esteem. The key with compliments is to make them thoughtful, specific, and related to things other than looks. If you’re being genuine and pointing out aspects you truly like about the person, you can’t go too wrong.
Be generous with your verbal affection, and hopefully, she’ll return the favor!
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