11 Tips to Make a Leo Man Jealous

Co-authored by Tara Divina and Amber Crain

Last Updated: November 8, 2024 Fact Checked

Leo men are the total package—warm, confident, and too sexy for their own good. If you're crushing on a Leo guy and want him to obsess over you, making him jealous can do the trick. Lions tend to have big egos and are very territorial, so making him jealous is actually pretty easy to do. In this article, we'll dish all the best ways to get your Leo seeing green. Before you know it, he'll be chasing after you!

1

Flirt with other guys.

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Leos are known for being possessive and territorial. Chalk it up to their lion-sized egos—these men tend to be paranoid that someone is going to come along and steal the object of their affection. Even small stuff, like you smiling at another guy or innocently chatting up someone he doesn’t know at the bar, can make a Leo feel jealous.^{[1]
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Research source}
- Leos can be aggressive if they feel threatened, so tread lightly. They aren’t afraid to cause a scene! If your guy seems really upset, ease up.
- Keep in mind that bruising a lion’s ego can be a dangerous game. Loyalty is very important to Leos and they aren’t quick to forgive.^{[2]
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  Expert Source
  
  Tara Divina
  Vedic Astrologer
  
  Expert Interview}
- Reader Poll: We asked 345 wikiHow readers what they think is the most effective way to make someone jealous, and 48% of them said flirting with someone else. [Take Poll]

2

Admire another guy’s looks.

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Leos can't stand someone else stealing the spotlight. The next time you’re watching a movie or series, make a comment about how handsome the lead actor is. Your Leo may not say anything out loud, but he'll immediately feel threatened and start measuring his own attractiveness against the actor’s. If he goes out of his way to point out the actor’s flaws, you know you’ve struck a nerve.
- You might say something like, “I’m binge watching The Witcher right now and I’m not going to lie—Henry Cavill looks incredible.” A jealous Leo might respond with something like, “There’s no way he’s that muscular in real life. It’s all lighting and camera work.”
- Avoid fawning over another guy's looks IRL since that might provoke or upset your Leo too much. Stick to complimenting famous actors or musicians.

3

Spend less time with him.

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Telling a Leo you’re too busy to hang out will drive him mad. Leos want to be the center of attention at all times. Even if you give your man a reasonable excuse, he’s likely to feel rejected if you tell him you’re unavailable. He'll also wonder what you could possibly be doing that’s more important than spending time with him.^{[3]
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Research source} You can also try things like:
- Telling him you need to check your schedule when he asks you on a date.
- Being super vague about what your plans are after turning him down.

4

Go radio silent for a few hours.

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Leos need attention and assume the worst if they don’t hear from you. Men born under this sign are possessive and usually want to be in contact at all times. They need to know what you’re up to! If you really want to make your man jealous, wait a few hours before answering his text. If he calls, let it go to voicemail every now and then.
- Avoid leaving him hanging for days, since he might get really worried or angry. He can handle a few hours of silence, though!

5

Call up your friends for a friends’ night.

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A Leo will be jealous of anyone who monopolizes your time. Plan an elaborate night out on the town with your best friends. Be sure to emphasize that your plans are strictly friends only so he’ll feel left out and envious. Remember to stay out late and have a blast!
- You can bet that your Leo will stalk your social media for "clues” about what you’re up to, so chronicle your evening with plenty of Insta and Snapchat posts.

6

Ask another guy to help you with something.

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Leos are territorial and will hate it if someone else steps in. A Leo wants to take care of all of your needs, no matter what—this is a deeply ingrained personality trait. If you ask another guy to help you with something, even a small task, your man will be jealous and wonder why you didn’t ask him for help instead. Try simple things like:
- Asking a male coworker for a ride home
- Getting a male friend to drive you to the airport
- Asking another guy for advice

7

Tell him someone has a crush on you.

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Knowing you have another admirer will rile him up. Your possessive Leo will get paranoid the minute he learns someone else has feelings for you. In his mind, this person is encroaching on his territory and he doesn’t like it one bit. This works especially well if your admirer is someone you have to see on a regular basis. Say something like:
- "Rick from Accounting stopped by my office for a whole hour yesterday. His little crush on me is getting out of control."
- "My Chem lab partner blushes every time I talk to him. It's kind of endearing, but I wish he would focus so we can get our assignments done!"

8

Post sexy selfies on social media.

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Your Leo will turn green with envy when he reads the comments. It really gets under a Leo’s skin when the object of his affection gets attention from others. Snap a few cute selfies and post them on Facebook or Instagram. He may not comment on your posts himself, but you can bet he’ll see your pictures and read every single comment.
- Leos are a bit paranoid, so your man will probably check out the profiles of your admirers and wonder how you know them.
- Avoid flirting with your admirers in the comments since that might push your Leo a little too far.

9

Talk about your ex.

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For a Leo, the thought of you with someone else is intolerable. Lions tend to be territorial about everything—even your past. You don’t need to speak at length about your old flame; mentioning your ex briefly in a vague, offhand way is more likely to get your Leo’s imagination working overtime. Say something like:
- "Oh, my ex-boyfriend drove a car like that. It was pretty cool."
- "I saw that movie with my ex back in the day."
- "My ex used to say the exact same thing!"

10

Wander off at a social event.

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Leos need to be the center of attention in every situation. Leos are very social creatures and go to great lengths to charm everyone they meet.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Tara Divina
Vedic Astrologer

Expert Interview} If you aren’t right by his side, hanging on to his every word, he’ll definitely wonder why and start looking around for perceived threats.^{[5]
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Research source} You can try things like:
- Let your eyes glaze over in boredom as he regales everyone with a story
- Tell him you’ll be right back and then go hang out by the bar
- Leave him on his own and go watch the band play
- Disappear into the bathroom for half an hour

11

Keep compliments to a minimum.

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Leos will try hard to impress you and expect praise for it. Lions can be insufferable show-offs—it's just part of their personality! In return, they want their efforts to be appreciated and they expect their egos to be stroked.^{[6]
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Expert Source

Tara Divina
Vedic Astrologer

Expert Interview} The next time your man does something to impress you, react indifferently or look unimpressed. He’ll assume someone else has already made a better impression.^{[7]
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Research source}
- For example, if your Leo boasts about his new car, say something like, "Yeah, my boss has the same car in black. And his car has a spoiler."
- Compliments and praise are pretty crucial for Leos, so don't completely hold out on your guy!