Knowing the common traits of the different zodiac signs can help you on a quest for self-discovery, help you navigate relationships with friends and family members, or even weigh compatibility in a potential romantic partner! Every zodiac sign has positive AND negative traits. If a friend or partner recently burned you, you might be wondering if they’re giving in to the darker aspects of their sign. We all have the potential for mind games and manipulation, and recognizing this can help you improve yourself, navigate your relationships – maybe even decide who you’d like to _avoid. _So what’s the most manipulative thing each zodiac sign does?
Aries (March 21 – April 19)
Aries can be incredibly pushy. As a cardinal sign, Aries are natural leaders, and they can use their leadership qualities to boss people around and control what they think. As Aries has a powerful, fiery personality, it can take a lot to stand up to them, and their tendency to explode when they don’t get what they want can make it challenging to enforce healthy boundaries. It may be best to walk away from an Aries on a manipulation streak and let them come around to reason on their own.
Taurus (April 20 – May 20)
Taurus isn’t typically manipulative – they’re too honest – but when the mood strikes them they can send you on one heck of a guilt trip! A Taurus can play the victim to get what they want, and they’re so stubborn that you’re unlikely to be able to convince them that you’re not at fault. Stay logical and calm to avoid letting a Taurus convince you that you’ve wronged them when you know you haven’t. Just because their convictions are strong doesn’t mean they’re right!
Gemini (May 21 – June 20)
Gemini can be insincere or even straight up liars to get their way. A Gemini might be giving you one story and spinning a different tale for someone else. Gemini can also be gossip-prone, and might try to manipulate a situation by turning everyone around you against you. A Gemini who is deep in their darker traits often needs to do a lot of self-work, but they’re often so sensitive to criticism that it can bringing this up can lead them to double down on their manipulative behaviors. If they’re not willing to help themselves, it may be time to head for the door.
Cancer (June 21 – July 22)
Cancer is a master of emotional manipulation. A cardinal sign, they lead with their feelings and if you don’t want to go along they’re more than willing to drag you along. Cancers appear sensitive and nurturing – and they are – but they can be cold and calculating beneath the surface. Cancers often in tune with their emotions to the point that they can cry on command, so don’t let a Cancer’s tears pull at your heartstrings if you know they’re trying to get their way. Cancers can hold a grudge and have a penchant for revenge, so you can expect a cancer to get vindictive if they feel you’ve wronged them.
Leo (July 23 – August 22)
A Leo can be a bully if they feel like they need to – they’ll mock and belittle the target of their manipulation until your self esteem is low enough to go along with whatever they want. A fixed sign, Leos stubbornly want to be in charge of every situation, and they can take your disagreement as a personal attack which leads them to lash out. Proud Leo can’t handle criticism and will minimize their negative behaviors if they’re at fault. Leos aren’t incapable of apology, and if you give them some space they’ll often realize that their behavior has been out of line on their own.
Virgo (August 23 – September 22)
Virgos are masters at running other people in mental circles. They often have a big vocabulary and they’ll use it to their advantage, making you feel stupid or confused until you finally agree with them. A Virgo’s perfectionism and anxiety can lead them to be controlling, and they’re so organized and calculating that they can manipulate you without you even realizing it. Sometimes a Virgo’s overly analytical and blunt nature can be misread as manipulative when they feel that they’re just being direct. Still, it’s best to make sure that you’re really doing what’s best for you if you’re going along with a Virgo’s plans.
Libra (September 23 – October 22)
Libras are natural diplomats with charming personalities and can lead you to believe that they’re being fair when they’re really tilting the scales to their advantage. Libras want harmony, and they will manipulate a situation to bring things into balance as soon as possible, even if it’s not in the best interest of everyone involved. Libra has a natural ability to intuit what other people want to hear and will lie to avoid confrontation. Libras will fake helplessness if they think you’ll run to assist them.
Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)
If you’re being manipulated by a Scorpio hold on to your seat, the scorpion will pull out all the stops to get what they want! Secretive and strategic, Scorpios can quietly plan their manipulation tactics without anyone around them realizing what they’re doing. Scorpio hoards useful information and has a natural ability to pick up on the weaknesses of others which they’ll use later in their mind games. A water sign, Scorpio has emotional prowess, but unlike Cancer and Pisces they keep their own emotions close to the chest, so they can be outwardly charming you while secretly stabbing you in the back.
Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)
Sagittarius will turn the tables on you to get you to feel bad and agree with them. Do you remember that thing you did 4 years ago? Sagittarius does, and they’ll bring it up to make you feel guilty and get away with whatever they’re doing. Sagittarius will also play nice to get what they want – if a Sagittarius is showing you with gifts or going above and beyond it may be worth asking yourself if they want something from you.
Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)
Capricorns are obsessed with control and are master manipulators. They’ll be cruel while appearing calm and composed to weaken your resolve, and if you get emotional due to their mistreatment they’ll act like you’re irrational and need to listen to reason (and their idea of a reasonable solution is, of course, whatever they want at the moment). Capricorns will act like they have an evidenced based case for doing what they want, but chances are most of their facts are made up. When all else fails, Capricorns are masters of the silent treatment, leaving you to feel like it’s your responsibility to give in to their demands in order to make amends.
Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)
While Aquarius isn’t the most manipulative sign, they can play mind games if they’ve decided to dedicate themselves to getting what they want. An Aquarius can act flighty to keep you chasing after them – they’ll even ghost someone they want something from – in the hopes that you’ll do whatever they want to keep their attention.
Pisces (February 19 – March 20)
Pisces are incredibly intuitive and can use people’s emotions against them to get what they want. Most of the time Pisces doesn’t even realize that they’re manipulating other people. Pisces are natural healers and can sometimes manipulate you into doing whatever they think is in your best interest, whether or not it actually is. Pisces are incredibly creative which can make them adept liars, but they don’t always remember what they’ve lied about, and they will bend over backwards to avoid taking responsibility if this is pointed out to them.
Leave a Reply