11 Ways Unhappily Married Women Are Better At Flirting Than Anyone Else
Unhappily married women tend to master the art of subtle flirting.

When you think of flirting, I’m sure images of exchanging sweet nothings come to mind. Of course, there are times when sharing remarks with someone can be innocent. Sometimes, married people can flirt with others outside of their relationship with no ill intentions. When someone is unhappily married, though, they may seek compliments and reassurance from others. Women who are not getting what they want out of their marriage will find ways to get it from others.
“No doubt, flirting while in a relationship has the potential for various disasters. In other words, there is always the risk of getting hurt when messing with marriage and flirting,” says Rachel Pace from Marriage.com. “Perhaps this is what makes flirting so appealing. But, like many others have learned, flirting can lead to an affair, leading to a broken marriage.” For women who are unhappily married, the appeal is there. Although they may not want their marriage to end, hoping to save it, they’re not afraid to flirt with others in the meantime. In fact, unhappily married women have mastered the art of flirting and do it better than anyone else. There are subtle ways they can use their words to impress men.
Here are 11 ways unhappily married women are better at flirting than anyone else
1. They are subtle
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Women who are unhappily married have mastered the art of subtle flirting. Sometimes, they can flirt simply by how they look at a person. They’re comfortable with making eye contact. She will use light touch and constant smiling to keep him engaged. She may laugh a little too long at his jokes, boosting his ego along the way.
“There’s no one better at flirting than a woman unhappy in her relationship, right?” one Instagram user said in a post. “It’s artistic, really, because they know they can’t flirt all the way just yet. But the nuance, the subtlety, it’s beautiful.” A woman who can subtly lure a man in knows how to flirt.
2. They can read a room well
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I know all women have been there. We’ve been somewhere important, like work, and a man approaches us and begins to flirt. It’s off-putting and inappropriate. For a woman who is unhappily in her marriage, she knows better. She can read a room and know the right time to strike.
Outside of reading the room, she can read people well. She will be able to pick up on how a man feels about her. She has mastered flirting before her marriage and has since found ways to better her skills. She can tell when a man is interested and receptive to her subtle flirting.
3. They have a purpose
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When someone is unhappily married, they have a purpose when they flirt. They are looking to get something from a man who isn’t her husband. Usually, these women have dealt with loveless or emotionally neglectful marriages for far too long. When she sets her eyes on someone to flirt with, there’s a reason. She’s looking to boost her own self-esteem and will prop him up in the process.
“Flirting can mean many different things for different people, and it doesn’t always signify dissatisfaction or a desire for something outside of a marriage. For married women, flirting can be an expression of confidence, a way to maintain social connections, or simply a fun form of interaction,” says Pick Me Up Game. “Understanding the motivations behind flirting can help reduce judgment and encourage healthier conversations around emotional needs and boundaries.”
4. They know what works
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There is a science to flirting. Several studies have been done to figure out what works. It might be surprising to hear that the majority of flirty behavior goes unnoticed by the average person. Some are too subtle with their attempts, but unhappily married women know what works.
The best way they connect with someone is through humor. A study conducted by Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair, published in the Sage Journal, found that women who casually giggled and encouraged the jokes told by men. Women know that they can easily impress a man by going along with whatever he says. Since she knows what works, unhappily married women are better at flirting than anyone else.
5. They are not easily flustered
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When a woman is unhappily married, flirting outside of her relationship comes easily. This can be because she is not easily flustered. She has a relationship, even though she is unhappy in it. Flirting with someone else isn’t going to change much for her. She can instead have fun with it. She brings a different form of confidence.
When an unmarried woman is flirting, she is likely looking for more out of the conversation. She wants a future relationship. For a married woman, although she is unhappy, she knows there is likely no future to come from flirting with a man. She is having fun. She will not feel flustered, making her a better smooth talker.
6. They are confident
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The confidence of unhappily married women can vary. For some, the negativity of their relationship has taken a toll on their confidence. They may lack the self-esteem they once had. For others, they use the lack of attention from their husband to boost their confidence. How? They will look for reassurance outside of their relationship, knowing they deserve better.
Unhappily married women will bring confidence to the conversation. They’re looking to get something they are not receiving at home. Sure, sometimes the confidence may not be completely genuine, but they know the end game. They will act confident, get validation, and move on with their day.
7. They are good listeners
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Unhappily married women likely deal with a husband who is bad at listening. She doesn’t feel valued at home. When she is talking to men outside of her relationship, she brings the attentiveness that she desires. She knows she deserves better and wants to give that to everyone she meets. Even if she is flirting for fun, she will bring her listening skills to impress a man.
“While listening is often viewed as something that just naturally occurs through the simple act of hearing spoken words, in reality, there is nothing simple about good listening,” says Sherrie Bourg Carter, Psy.D., for Psychology Today. “It’s an acquired skill that requires daily practice and discipline, although well worth the time and effort because good listening helps us effectively examine, accept, or challenge the information we hear, thereby improving our decision-making.” These listening skills in the conversation make her the best flirt.
8. It’s just a game to them
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What’s flirting without having fun? Believe it or not, the fun of flirting is good for your mental health. It boosts confidence and improves our communication skills. A study found that flirting can even be a wonderful stress reliever.
When someone is unhappy in their relationship, flirting will become only a game for them. When they are having fun with someone other than their husband, they are not looking for anything more. They can let themselves freely flirt because they are only seeking enjoyment. It’s all fun and games, and nothing changes after the conversation comes to a close. It’s a simple way for them to boost their confidence and relieve the stress from their complicated relationship.
9. They have depth
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Multiple studies have shown that women are more likely to form deep bonds with others than men are. When times get tough, they choose to befriend rather than separate themselves from their community. Since they bring less shallowness to their connections with others, they can connect on a deeper level when flirting. It’s a tactic that comes easily to them.
Men often seek compliments from women that validate their ego. They want to be reassured that they are special. Unhappily married women bring depth to their flirtations. They know what a man wants, and since they are good at connecting with others, they can easily sweep him off his feet.
10. They have nothing to lose
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Women who are unhappy in their marriages make for good flirts because they have nothing to lose. Their end goal isn’t a relationship. Women who are seeking a partnership will put pressure on themselves when met with a situation where flirting arises. They want to impress and hopefully keep him interested enough to come back for more. Women who are in unhappy relationships know there is no future to be had with someone they are flirting with.
Unhappily married women already have issues at home. They are likely waiting for the final nail to be put in their relationship’s coffin. They also have nothing to lose when chatting up a new guy, because either he likes her and she can weigh her options, or he turns her down and she moves on to the next.
11. They appear mysterious
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We have all seen how this ideology plays out on the big screen. A man falls for a woman who is married because she is mysterious. Why is she interested in him? What’s going on at home? These are all things that keep him coming back for more.
Whether or not an unhappily married woman chooses to come off as mysterious to men, she always will. It draws them in. Something is exhilarating about the chase for these men. A woman will use this to her advantage when she is flirting with him.
Haley Van Horn is a freelance writer with a master’s degree in Humanities, living in Los Angeles. Her focus includes entertainment and lifestyle stories.