Study Finds One Gender Is More Likely To Cheat — And It’s Probably Not Who You Think

Forget everything you thought you knew about who cheats more — this study flips the script.

Last updated on Sep 25, 2025

Gender likely to cheat. Ali Amya | Unsplash
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Got a bad case of wandering eye? You're in good company — a survey of 3000 people found that women are more likely to cheat than men.

The 2018 poll, taken by British dating firm Coffee & Company, showed that while 9 percent of men were certain they'd be unfaithful if they fell for somebody else, a whopping 25 percent of female respondents said they would definitely have an affair if an outsider piqued their interest.  

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Study finds one gender is more likely to cheat — and it’s probably not who you think.

How do you know if you're likely to wind up in someone else's bed?

Women aged 35 to 40 were the most likely to dabble in infidelity. 

One popular reason: Many are childless and looking to get more than a good-night kiss as a result of the tryst, Coffee & Co. reports. But that's not the only reason why women are more likely to cheat on their partners, the survey says.

RELATED: 9 Sad But Common Signs A Man Is More Likely To Cheat

woman who is more likely to cheat Antonio Guillem / Shutterstock

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Many look for love elsewhere out of feelings of neglect, either physical or emotional. If intimacy becomes, well, kind of boring and predictable, women may wander away to find someone else who can spice things up.

RELATED: Divorce Attorney Reveals The Professions Most (And Least) Likely To Cheat

Feeling emotionally undervalued or just flat-out ignored can also lead to infidelity. If a husband is neglecting his wife so he can, say, work on his ship-in-a-bottle collection, the wife might go on the prowl for a guy who makes her feel good about herself—as opposed to, say, hanging out with a husband who makes her feel less interesting than a tiny ship encased in glass. 

It's important to remember that all relationships take work and none are perfect. The solution to unhappiness in love and marriage is probably not to be intimate with a stranger. It's much more likely to involve communicating with your significant other and working out your problems — before you do irreparable harm (just 15 percent of men say they would forgive a cheater).

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RELATED: People With This Personality Type More Likely To Cheat, According To Research

We know, we know: Talking it out with the guy you love sounds considerably less fun than hooking up with a total hottie on your girl-cation. But on the plus side, you're far less likely to get an STD simply by having a civilized conversation in your living room. And in the process, you may even save your relationship and remember why you fell in love with him in the first place. 

RELATED: The 9 People Most Likely To Cheat On You, According To Research

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My Daily is a former partner and contributor with YourTango.

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