What does it mean when a guy tilts his head and smiles? | Body Language Central (2024)

If a guy recently tilted his head and smiled at you then you’re probably wondering why he did it.

This post will help you figure out why he did it and help you figure out its meaning as it happens in the future.

So, what does it mean when a guy tilts his head and smiles? A guy tilting his head and smiling might mean that he likes you especially if he only does it to you and he shows other signs of attraction around you. It might also mean that he is glad to see you or that he is being submissive.

Since there are a number of reasons why a guy might tilt his head and smile at you it is important to consider the body language that he was showing and the context of how he did it.

Reasons why a guy will tilt his head and smile

Each of the different reasons why a guy will tilt his head and smile will likely come with a number of clues in his body language.

Below, I will mention a number of reasons why a guy will tilt his head and smile and the body language signals to expect to see with them.

He’s attracted to you

If he only tilted his head and smiled at you then it would be likely that he did it due to being attracted to you.

If he did tilt his head and smile at you because he is attracted to you then it would be likely that he would have shown it in his body language in other ways by doing things such as:

  • Holding prolonged eye contact with you
  • Having dilated pupils when looking at you
  • Touching you more than others
  • Staring at you when you’re not looking then quickly smiling or looking away when you notice
  • Standing close to you when talking to you
  • Mirroring your body language
  • Uncrossing his arms and legs when he notices you
  • Sitting or standing more upright when he first notices you
  • Positioning himself to be near you when in the same location as you
  • Adjusting his clothes or hair when first noticing you
  • Pointing his feet at you
  • Getting anxious when you’re with other men
  • Showing signs of nervousness because he wants to make a good impression on you

He’s glad to see you

The reason that he might tilt his head and smile at you could be that he is glad to.

If that is the case then it would be likely that he is your friend and that you both have fun when together.

It could be the case that he was glad to see you and he is attracted to you. In that case, it would be likely that he would have also shown body language signs of attraction.

He’s being submissive

When people are being submissive they will often tilt their head due to it exposing the neck. This allows them to show that they are not a threat.

The reason that he tilted his head and smiled at you could be that he was being submissive.

It could be that you seemed aggressive, he thinks that you’re in a position of authority over him in some way or that he felt threatened by the people that you were with.

If he was being submissive then it would be likely that he would show it in other ways as well by doing things such as:

  • Avoiding eye contact
  • Laughing or smiling at the mouth but not creasing besides the eyes
  • Making the body look smaller
  • Avoiding large movements
  • Showing the palms
  • Rubbing the face
  • Talking with a higher pitch or inflecting upwards at the ends of sentences

He’s mirroring you

It could be the case that he was mirroring your own behavior.

If he was then it would be likely that you would have done it yourself at some point.

Mirroring your behavior and body language could also be a sign that he is attracted to you. If that is the case then it would be likely that he would show other signs of attraction in his body language.

If he was mirroring you by tilting his head and smiling it would be likely that he would mirror you in other ways as well.

Examples could include:

  • Talking at a similar pitch as you
  • Standing or sitting with a similar stance as you
  • Showing similar facial gestures as you
  • Smiling like you
  • Mirroring your hand gestures

Consider your relationship with him

When trying to understand why he tilted his head and smiled at you it would be helpful to consider the type of relationship that you have with him.

If you are both friends with each other then it could be a sign that he wants to be more than just friends or that he was just happy to see you. It would be helpful to consider the body language signals that he was showing to figure out which.

If he was a guy that you haven’t met before then it could be that he was showing attraction to you. However, it might also be that he was showing submissive behavior. Again, it would be likely that his body language would have given you more clues.

Consider when and where he did it

The timing and location of when he did it would also be a useful thing to consider.

If he did it as soon as he saw you then it would be much more likely that it was either due to attraction or that he was glad to see you.

However, if he did it when another person entered the room then it could be the case that he was reacting to them in some way. It could be that he was being submissive or that he was attracted to that person and it caused him to show it in his body language.

If he did it when you were being aggressive in some way then it would be more likely that he was showing submissive behavior.

Additionally, if he tends to change his body language as soon as he sees you then it would be a strong indicator that he has some kind of an emotional response to you.

If you notice that he tends to sit more upright, uncross his arms and legs, point his feet at you, adjusting his clothing or hair and that he positions himself to be near you then it would be likely that he’s attracted to you.

Whereas, if he crosses his arms and legs, distances himself from you, avoids eye contact and points the feet away from you it would be more likely that he feels uncomfortable around you.

Consider his normal behavior

It would also be helpful to consider what his normal body language and behavior looks like around others.

If you notice that he tilts his head and smiles at his other friends then it could just be that it is his way of showing that he’s glad to see them.

Whereas, if he only seems to do it to you and he changes his body language around you then it would be more likely that he is attracted to you assuming that he shows signs of attraction in his body language.

If you want to learn more about body language, a book I would recommend would be The Definitive Book of Body Language (on Amazon). It shows you how to interpret body language and understand people's true intentions.

What does it mean when a guy tilts his head and smiles? | Body Language Central (2024)

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