Attractive vs Attracted to...which is which?

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  • Okay, so my hubby and i were having this conversation in the car..more like he was listening and i was talking...and we couldnt seem to come to a conclusion about this...

    Here is the topic up for debate:

    If you see a good looking person on the street..you say they are attractive right?

    But then what is this whole "im attracted to" .... about? Does it mean that you have a personal thing for the person because they are attractive?

    Does the word attracted and attractive not mean the same thing? I mean is it possible to be attractive to someone but not attracted? How can you be one but not the other if the word means the same thing? If you find someone attractive..are you not attracted to them then?

    Cause ive heard in conversations with girlfriends before ..they will say something along the lines of "oh so-and-so i find attractive but im not personally attracted or into him".

    Im confuzzled Are they two in the same?

    The only theory i have come up with is that attractive is a generalization of how someone looks and attracted is a personalization of how someone looks..youve made it personal...Correct? Yes No?
  • I don't think their the same.
    I can find someone attractive, but not attracted to them. You can be attracted to someone and not find them attractive.

    Attractive is how they appear on the outside. Attracted too is like the chemistry between you and them. Sometimes you can find a person unattractive, but then later find your attracted to them as you find out more about them.
  • It is possible to be attracted to someone who is not physically attractive.They have other qualities that cause you to be attracted to them.
  • I think calling someone attractive means they have appealing qualities/attributes.

    I consider myself attracted to someone if I feel drawn to spend time with or get to know better.

    I think someone can be attractive, and you can be attracted to them, they can be unattractive and you can be attracted to them.

    Its even possible for someone to be attractive and you're not attracted to them

    I've been started at the number of people I may not find attractive, but I am attracted to them.
  • Attractive and Attracted to are almost entirely different things. One can be independent of another (but not always).

    I've been attracted to certain people who I did not find physically attractive. Usually they have other attributes that I find desirable: intelligence, kindness, mutual interests, etc.

    I've found people attractive that I haven't been attracted to: i.e. jerks who are totally hot but, you know, jerks. They're pretty faces but nothing else to me.
  • I think the adjective attractive is used in a more generic sense, meaning that they have characteristics that people think are traditionally beautiful or handsome. Attracted to, on the other hand refers to a very personal feeling toward another person who may or may not be considered beautiful or handsome
  • Quote: Okay, so my hubby and i were having this conversation in the car..more like he was listening and i was talking...and we couldnt seem to come to a conclusion about this...
    Just tell him he's wrong That's what I generally do.
  • I think attractive is more physical and attracted is more personality, chemistry or common interests ect.
  • There are a lot of female celebrities I find very attractive...

    but when they open their mouth's I'm not attracted to them anymore!
  • I don't know. Maybe attractive means you can objectively see they look nice, the way you might feel about a member of the same sex (if you're not gay); like, they look nice, but not for you. Attracted to means you fancy them!
    OR the whole it could just be a way of saying "I think they look hot but don't be upset, I'm not going to cheat and I still like you best"
  • "Attractive" to me is acknowledgement that the person is physically attractive/good looking, even if they're not your type, or maybe not even your gender! Its an objective outlook that yes, that person is the conventional definition of good-looking.

    However "attracted to" involves more factors than just physical appearance, such as personality, wit, common interests, whathaveyou.

    So the first is an objective outlook, the second your person opinion/preference.
  • "They are attractive" -- that means I can appreciate that the person could be appealing to other people. But they don't necessarily have to be MY type.

    "I'm attracted to them" = they are both attractive, AND they are my type.

    A.
  • When I say someone is "Attractive" I am purely talking about their looks.

    When I am attracted to someone, it's usually because I have gotten to know them a little and know their personality etc.

    I can find someone attractive eg: David Beckham, and be completely not attracted to them. Because he is dumb as a brick! Lol
  • One is an adjective & the other a verb. So, a description could include; He is attractive, wealthy & intelligent. where as, if I say "I am attracted to him" it is me doing the "action". They are 2 very different things.
  • Speaking on a 100% physical term - there are people that I can see are beautiful, but I am not physically attracted to them.
    For instance, I can DEF see why Megan Fox is beautiful, but she doesn't "do it" for me.
    However, Adriana Lima does do it for me. And I am not saying this in a sexual way, like I am attracted TO her, but like...I just see her and I think WOW-like a gut reaction, wheras for Megan Fox I see her and think "nice features"