Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav

Sexual attraction: What's the difference between romantic attraction and sexual attraction?

320 Answers
Last Updated: 01/20/2020 at 3:57pm
Sexual attraction: What's the difference between romantic attraction and sexual attraction?
★ This question about LGBTQ+ Issues was starred by a moderator on 5/12/2016.
1 Tip to Feel Better
Greece
Moderated by

Johanna Liasides, MSc, PhDc

Psychologist

I work with youth and young adults to help them improve depressive symptoms and self-esteem as well as effectively address family, relationship and peer conflicts.

Top Rated Answers
Anonymous
July 8th, 2015 12:10am
A sexual attraction is all about sexuality and attraction to a persons physical state. If you are sexually attracted to someone you are attracted to their looks. A romantic attraction is a mental attraction towards another person.
heyitsTay
July 8th, 2015 3:36am
Romantic attractions can typically be defined as attractions where you want a relationship with someone. You want to spend time with them, get to know them, have them as a companion. Where on the other hand, sexual attractions are attractions where you take interest in the physical aspect of someone rather than what's inside.
NiceCrow
July 8th, 2015 4:59pm
Romantic attraction is more into looking for a connection with the other person, trying to form a bond with them. Sexual attraction is solely based in physical attraction, you really don't want to have a connection deeper than the one you already have with the other one, but you find them attractive because of their looks or their personality.
DipityEnigma
July 8th, 2015 5:26pm
Romance quite usually includes emotions such as love or what they believe to be love. A romantic attraction is more deeper and includes more feelings where as sexual attraction, you see the person more of a thing rather than a person. All people usually want from them is sexual acts rather than wanting something real like love and true emotions and commitment.
Boontea
July 8th, 2015 9:44pm
To me romantic attraction is everything. Its deep love and understanding, its undescibable like.... sexual attraction is in my opinion more superficial and far less rewarding, at least when romantic attraction is not involved as well. I can live with only "romantic attraction" but not with only "sexual attraction". Then again the best is the mixture, with empathis still on romantic.
Kaaaatie
July 9th, 2015 12:29am
Romantic attraction is emotional--you are attracted to a person's mind, to his/her personality. It often has physical elements, too, but it is primarily emotional. Sexual attraction is physical; you feel it first and foremost in your body.
ArisThuMan
July 9th, 2015 6:29am
Romantic attraction is a mental and physical attraction that is not defined by sex. Sexual attraction is only about sex. They can intersect, but romantic tends to be more emotionally oriented.
Anonymous
July 9th, 2015 11:56am
Romantic attraction is when you want a partner to kiss, cuddle and connect with. Sexual attraction is when you want to engage in sex related activities with them.
boo
July 9th, 2015 12:48pm
Romantic attraction is when you feel an emotional attachment to a person. Sexual is the physical attraction you feel to another person
friendlyNatural39
July 9th, 2015 9:28pm
The difference between romantic attraction and sexual attraction is that sexual attraction is more of a primal instinct. Something about this person is drawing you towards them, but it's usually based on physical appearance. Romantic attraction, however, feels the same way. Like the person that you're attracted to is pulling you to them with a rope around your waist. It could commonly be associated with having "butterflies" in your stomach, whereas sexual attraction alone is another feeling altogether, something that's not as powerful.
RIPGwenStacy11
July 10th, 2015 1:28am
Romantic attraction and sexual attraction can be greatly distinguished. If you only find that person interesting when you are having sex with them then that is sexual. But if you find yourself thinking about them all day (not in a sexual way) and love to be around them then that is romantic.
Ray23
July 10th, 2015 11:45am
A romantic attraction is an emotional feeling that draws one to want the other person who you are romantically attracted to to reflect back to oneself. A sexual attraction is a feeling of sexual desire for another person. One can be romantically attracted to someone and not feel sexually attracted to them and vica versa.
FractalBunny
July 10th, 2015 3:23pm
Romantic attraction is who you want to date. For example, a woman who wants to date men is heteroromantic, and a woman who wants to date women is homoromantic. Sexual attraction is who you want to have intercourse with. If we take a different woman; a woman who wants to sleep with men is heterosexual, and a woman who wants to sleep with women is homosexual. Your romantic and sexual orientations do not have to be the same; some people are heteroromantic bisexual, or homoromantic heterosexual, and there are nearly endless combinations and possibilities.
oldvital3
July 10th, 2015 6:35pm
in a romantic attraction you feel the duty to protect the person and make them feel happy and okay and in the sexual attraction all that matters is the pleasure
Anonymous
July 10th, 2015 9:34pm
Romantic Attraction encompasses a number of factors which include love, companionship and care for the other person in the relationship as well as sexual attraction. Sexual attraction usually lacks the first three factors and looks just at the instant gratification to get the urge met.
Anonymous
July 11th, 2015 1:34am
Romantic attraction is who you love, sexual attraction is who you desire in a physical sense. Romantic and sexual attraction can be different, and this is most frequently found in the asexual community - so they still desire and feel that closeness of a romantic relationship, but do not feel physical attraction to their partners. Romantic attraction and sexual attraction are different despite what many people think. The two do not always go hand in hand. Romantic attraction can be hard to describe, but in the simplest form and in my understanding it is the romanticizing of a person. Sexual attraction in its simplest form is desiring a specific person in a sexual way.
JazmyneJayy
July 11th, 2015 7:08am
Romantic attraction is on a more emotional level. Sexual attraction is more about lust. Though the two can be confused romantic attraction is more about how the person understand how you feel emotionally and the way that they meet your emotional needs. Sexual attraction is more about the way that you too connect sexually. Or the way that you think that you'll connect sexually.
AnatomyLover
July 11th, 2015 12:51pm
Romantic attraction results in a sexual attraction, not vise versa, for example if I m romantically attracted to someone , then sex won't matter, I just like the personality of that person, sex will probably follow as a basic need to make the relationship strong and intimate, but if I m sexually attracted to someone, it would be a relationship based on interest, a need of the moment, that will end up soon, and with it the relationship.
Anonymous
July 11th, 2015 4:59pm
Romantic is kissing, cuddling, holding hands. Sexual, is having sex. An asexual person may want to kiss or hold hands, but not have sex.
YourNotAlone27
July 11th, 2015 6:06pm
romantic attraction is what someone does for a person and that other person is attracted to what they are doing or saying to them. Sexual attraction is like your only sexually attracted to them not in love
StevensLion
July 11th, 2015 10:09pm
Romantic attraction has more to do with your emotions and feelings for someone. It doesn't even have to include sexual attraction at all. You want to love the person and just be with them/around them. You just want them to be happy. It could include wanting to hug them or cuddle with them, but it doesn't include anything sexual. Sexual attraction is just the want to have sexual relations with someone. Their body and appearance is pleasing to you and you want to have sex with them, plain and simple. It doesn't have to include any romantic attraction at all. These two things can coincide, but they don't have to.
CarcinoArison16
July 12th, 2015 1:54am
sexual attraction means more or less seeing a person and wanting to have sex with them romantic attraction however is seeing a person and just wanting to be in a romantic relationship with them
tranquilTouch46
July 12th, 2015 9:01am
When your body signals a liking to someone, irrespective of whether or not you're in a relationship is a Sexual Attraction. Sometimes a sexual attraction could lead to a romantic/emotional connection but not necessarily. Sexual attraction is purely lust, infatuation and carnal. As opposed to romantic attraction, it's more about intimacy. Emotional/romantic intimacy could progress to a sexual level. But romantic intimacy doesn't necessarily culminate to sex. True romance is about connecting on a spiritual and emotional level. Spending quality time with one another. Sexual desires can be intertwined with these romantic feelings, but those romantic feelings are not necessarily part of those sexual feelings.
Anonymous
July 12th, 2015 4:51pm
Romantic attraction is more towards someone's personality and how they make you feel, sexual attraction is more like lust you like this person's body or they way the look.
fernanda00
July 15th, 2015 12:12am
When it's sexual attraction, all you want to do is have a moment with that person. Like, you just want to have sex and that's it. Romantic attraction means wanting to be with that person, caring for them and loving them
Eilonwy
July 16th, 2015 7:22pm
Romantic attraction is the want or desire to be in a relationship with a specific person. Sexual attraction is the want or desire to engage in sexual activities with a specific person.
Anonymous
July 17th, 2015 4:52am
Romantic attraction is when you'd like to have a relationship, on an emotional, romantic level, and sexual attraction is when you're physically attracted to a person and/or want to have sex with them.
redSpring6021
July 17th, 2015 9:59am
Romantic attraction is when you have deep seated feelings for another person that culminate in an adoring love. You want more than just being physically attracted or hooking up; you care about their health, happiness, and your future together. You willingly place their needs over your own and make sacrifices, but do not do so unhealthily. Often times, a sign of romantic attraction is making plans about the future together. Sexual attraction is often the first sign of a budding relationship. You find your partner attractive, but do not feel deep feelings toward them. You desire them, but are not willing to make sacrifices or work towards a cohesive future together. You are interested. As a result, sexual attraction may often be fleeting. However, it is possibly (and recommended) in a relationship to have both romantic and sexual attraction as this leading to a fresh, positive relationship that is build not only on the physical but the emotional. This dual facet allows for growth and happiness for both partners in their relationship and often brings about the phrase "falling in love over and over again."
Anonymous
July 17th, 2015 3:42pm
Romantic attraction is when you have feelings for someone and love them , sexual attraction is when you desire their body or you like their physical traits
alise
July 17th, 2015 10:47pm
Romantic attraction is being romantically attracted to someone, as in, wanting to date them. Sexual attraction is being sexually attracted to someone, as in, wanting to sleep with them.