A limerence quiz checks how many of the features Dorothy Tennov described fit what you feel for one person: intrusive thinking, longing for them to feel the same, a mood that rides on their signals, idealization, fear of rejection, fantasy and physical reactions. This one has 14 statements, is scored in your browser, and is not a diagnosis.
What does a limerence quiz measure?
Limerence is a term the psychologist Dorothy Tennov coined in her 1979 book Love and Limerence. She used it for an involuntary state of intense romantic longing for one particular person, usually with a strong wish to be loved back. It is not a clinical diagnosis, and no quiz can tell you whether you have it.
What a quiz can do is show how many of the features Tennov described are present in how you feel right now. The 14 statements are grouped under seven of those features:
- Intrusive thinking (statements 1 to 3): the person keeps arriving in your mind uninvited.
- Longing for reciprocation (4 and 5): knowing they feel the same would outweigh almost everything else.
- Mood tied to their signals (6 and 7): a warm message lifts you and a missing one sinks you.
- Idealization (8 and 9): their strengths are bright and their flaws are dim.
- Fear of rejection (10 and 11): you edit yourself around them, and being unwanted feels unbearable.
- Fantasy (12 and 13): long daydreams of how things could go, often in particular scenes.
- Physical reactions (14): a racing heart, a flipped stomach, shakiness or going tongue-tied.
How is the limerence quiz scored?
Each statement uses a five-point scale: Not at all (0), A little (1), Somewhat (2), Quite a lot (3) and Very much (4). The tool adds your 14 answers for a total between 0 and 56. Nothing is weighted, so no answer counts for more than another.
The three bands below are cut-offs we chose to make the result readable. They are not clinical thresholds and have not been validated in a study, so treat the edges as soft. A 37 and a 38 are not different kinds of people.
| Total | Band | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 19 | A few features | Ordinary strong feelings, such as a crush or a fresh breakup. Probably not running your days. |
| 20 to 37 | Several features | A real pattern of preoccupation, likely fed by hope and by contact. Worth one targeted change. |
| 38 to 56 | Many features | Most of the pattern is present and likely draining. Worth cutting off what feeds it and asking for support. |
Why the bars matter more than the total
Under your result you will see each feature as a percentage of its own maximum. Two people can reach the same total in very different ways. One has mostly intrusive thoughts and daydreams. The other has a mood that follows every text and a body that reacts to the sight of their name.
The next step differs for each. Intrusive thinking and fantasy respond to changing what you do with your attention. A mood tied to their signals responds to changing how often those signals reach you. Use the highest one or two bars to decide where to start.
Is limerence the same as being in love?
Not necessarily. Limerence can sit inside a loving relationship, and it can also exist with someone who barely knows you. The feelings are real either way. The question is what they are feeding on.
A useful test is whether your feelings respond to the actual person or to a picture of them. If a bad day with them barely dents the picture, or the picture is brighter than anything they have actually done, the feelings may be running on imagination and hope. Our guide to limerence vs love goes through the differences in detail.
Can you feel limerence for an ex, or for someone you never dated?
Yes to both, and the quiz works for either. After a breakup, intrusive thoughts and a mood that follows their signals can be grief, limerence-like longing, or a mix, and a short quiz cannot separate them. Count your answers as a snapshot of how consuming the feelings are, not as an explanation of where they come from.
With someone you never dated, there is very little real history to hold the picture against, which can make idealization and fantasy louder. If that is your situation, read how to get over someone you never dated. It covers grieving something that never fully existed.
What should you do with your result?
Match the response to the band, and keep it small. These are starting points, not prescriptions:
- A few features: watch the one or two highest statements for a few weeks. Feelings that are fading usually need time and a normal routine.
- Several features: aim one change at your highest bar for two weeks, such as muting their stories or ending a daydream the moment you notice it.
- Many features: cut off what feeds the pull for a set stretch, tell one person, and think about seeing a therapist if it has lasted months or is affecting sleep, work or other relationships.
How private is this quiz, and what are its limits?
Scoring happens in your browser. Your answers are not sent to us or saved. The page records only that a quiz was completed, never what you answered.
It is a short self-report about your recent feelings. It says nothing about the other person, whether they feel the same, or whether you should pursue or avoid them. If these thoughts leave you unable to sleep, eat or work, or you ever have thoughts of harming yourself, please talk to a doctor or therapist and see our safety page. In the US you can call or text 988; in the UK and Ireland, Samaritans is on 116 123; in India, Tele-MANAS is on 14416.
Common questions
Is there a real test for limerence?
No standard clinical test exists, and limerence is not a diagnosis in the major diagnostic manuals. Dorothy Tennov described the experience in 1979, and this quiz turns the features she described into statements you can rate. It shows how many fit you today, nothing more.
What is a high score on a limerence quiz?
On this quiz, 38 or more out of 56 means many of the described features are strongly present. That is a prompt to look after yourself and cut off what feeds the pull, not a label. The cut-offs are our own and have not been clinically validated.
Is limerence a mental illness?
No. It is not a diagnosis, and having the experience does not mean something is wrong with you. It can still be very distressing. If it is damaging your sleep, work or relationships, a doctor or therapist can help whatever name it goes by.
How long does limerence last?
Nobody can give you a reliable timeline, and we will not invent one. It tends to fade more slowly when it is fed by contact, checking and daydreaming, and more quickly when those are reduced. Your pace depends on the situation and on you.
How is limerence different from a crush?
A crush is usually lighter and easier to put down. You enjoy the thoughts without them crowding out your day, and a bad sign from the other person stings without wrecking your week. With limerence-like feelings the thoughts are intrusive, your mood rides on their signals, and the fear of rejection feels huge.
Can I take this quiz about an ex?
Yes. Answer for how you feel about them now, over the last month or so. A high score after a breakup may reflect grief, longing or both, so use it to decide where to start, and see our guide on limerence vs love to explore the difference.