Marie Claire UK
  • Fashion Fashion
      • Fashion
        • View all Fashion
        • Fashion Trends
        • Shopping
        • Watches and Jewellery
        • Fashion News
  • Beauty Beauty
      • Beauty
        • View all Beauty
        • Fragrance
        • Hair
        • Make Up
        • Skincare
        • Nails
        • Marie Claire Beauty Awards
  • Health Health
      • Health
        • View all Health
        • Fitness
        • Nutrition
        • Female Health
        • Wellbeing
  • Life Life
      • Life
        • View all Life
        • Opinions
        • Travel
        • Sustainability
        • Weddings
        • Money & Work
        • Competitions
  • Culture Culture
      • Culture
        • View all Culture
        • TV and Film
        • Celebrity News
        • Books
        • Royal News
  • Vouchers Vouchers
      • Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Mint Velvet
        • Karen Millen
        • H&M
        • nobody's child
        • ASOS
        • ARKET
        • MANGO
      • Designer Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Reiss
        • THE OUTNET
        • SSENSE
        • Mytheresa
        • Liberty London
        • Selfridges
        • Farfetch
      • Accessories
        • View all Vouchers
        • AllSaints
        • Aspinal of London
        • Charles & Keith
        • River Island
        • FitFlop
        • Kate Spade
        • Vagabond
      • Jewellery
        • View all Vouchers
        • Pandora
        • Abbott Lyon
        • Goldsmiths
        • Beaverbrooks
        • Astrid & Miyu
        • Swarovski
        • Angara Jewellery
      • Beauty
        • View all Vouchers
        • Sephora
        • Cult Beauty
        • Space NK
        • Dyson
        • Clarins
        • Look Fantastic
        • Clinique
      • Activewear
        • View all Vouchers
        • Lululemon
        • Gymshark
        • Sweaty Betty
        • Nike
        • adidas
        • New Balance
        • Helly Hansen
  • NEWSLETTER Signup to our newsletter
  • logoCreated with Sketch.
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Latest Issue
    • Marie Claire Masters
    • Autumn Winter 2026
    • Nail Trends 2026
    • Best Investment Bags
    • Best Perfumes
    1. Life
    2. Relationships

    Women are more likely to fake an orgasm with a partner than a one night stand

    Orgasms for all, people

    Delphine Chui's avatar
    By Delphine Chui
    Published 31 March 2017 In Features

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    Orgasmic Meditation
    (Image credit: rex)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    Orgasms for all, people

    Considering the line 'fake it 'til you make it,' maybe it's no surprise that a total of 68% of women have faked an orgasm at one point in their lives.

    It might seem logical to fake an orgasm when you're with someone new and you don't quite get what each other like yet because it's a way to encourage the act to happen over and over again until you do indeed 'make it.'

    Although, is that just an excuse for encouraging bad habits? Surely, it's a little cruel to make someone think a specific move is that effective when it isn't?

    Well, a new survey of 2,000 participants from Dr. Ed has shown that it's actually context that plays a vital role when it comes to fake orgasms.

    You may like
    • Female athletes crossing the finish line at a track and field event Why We Should Care About Sexualisation in Women's Sport—and How It’s Bigger Than Sydney Sweeney
    • A bunch of flowers I Was Told My Fertility Was a Race Against Time. Doctors Say the Reality Is More Complicated
    • A woman stretching, dry brushing, and taking supplements at home Meet the AI Wellness Influencers Making Dubious Health Claims—and What Their Boom Means for Women’s Health

    The results showed that 20% of women admitted to faking an orgasm during a one-night stand while 29% had said they faked an orgasm at one point during a new relationship and 31% within a longterm relationship - with 20% admitting to in marriage.

    Whereas with men, 28% of men admitted to faking it during a one-night stand, 26% in an early relationships, 31% in a longterm one and 15% within marriage.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    And it seems your sexual orientation also affects whether or not you're more likely to fake an orgasm with straight women admitting to doing it more than bisexual or lesbian women, and 2% of women saying they fake it every time. (Sob.)

    Since orgasms feel so good, women really should be pushing to have real ones as much as possible - and you can always turn to orgasmic meditation if you're really down for the cause. But, there's also an argument towards the orgasm imperative which is the global pressure to orgasm every time you have sex, and that only sex ending with an orgasm can be constituted as 'sex' - when actually it can feel really good regardless, too.

    Scientifically, there are also reasons why it’s impossible for some women to orgasm during sex and there are of course other factors as to why women fake orgasms but it does seem to mainly be as a way to not hurt their partner's feelings.

    But, really, honesty is the best policy when it comes to the bedroom so here's to being more open in that quest for orgasm equality.

    Delphine Chui
    Delphine Chui
    Social Links Navigation
    Read more
    Female athletes crossing the finish line at a track and field event
    Fitness Why We Should Care About Sexualisation in Women's Sport—and How It’s Bigger Than Sydney Sweeney
    A bunch of flowers
    Female health I Was Told My Fertility Was a Race Against Time. Doctors Say the Reality Is More Complicated
     
     
    A woman stretching, dry brushing, and taking supplements at home
    Wellbeing Meet the AI Wellness Influencers Making Dubious Health Claims—and What Their Boom Means for Women’s Health
    A sunset, phone alarm, and cup of coffee
    Wellbeing The Science-Backed Reason the Clock’s Changing Hits Women Harder Than Men
     
     
    Latest in Relationships
    Abstract woman portrait in glitch style - stock photo
    Relationships His Girlfriend Died. Eight Years Later, An AI Version Of Her Replied
    Why We Hold Onto Things From Our Past: A Collection of Sentimental Keepsakes, Old Photographs and Letters
    Relationships Why Is It So Hard to Throw Away Things From Our Past?
     
     
    Louise O'Neill started dating at 39 -- here's what she learnt
    Relationships I Started Dating Again at 39. Here Are 21 Things I Learned About Men
    Toni Tone What It Feels Like to Unlearn Everything You Thought Love Was
    Relationships “I’m Not Looking for Anyone to Make Me Happy” — Toni Tone on People-Pleasing, Self-Worth and Healthy Love
     
     
    Latest in Features
    Abstract woman portrait in glitch style - stock photo
    Relationships His Girlfriend Died. Eight Years Later, An AI Version Of Her Replied
    Best Treatments for Eye Wrinkles, Dark Circles and Hooded Eyes
    Skincare From Dark Circles to Drooping Lids—An Expert Guide to What Really Works for Every Eye Concern
     
     
    Women walking and running; through a city and on a beach.
    Fitness Run Free, Stay Safe: The Impossible Double Standard Facing Women Who Run
    collage of October fashion collaborations
    Fashion From Rixo to Burberry and M&S Lingerie, These are the Fashion Collaborations We’re Excited About Right Now
     
     
    logoCreated with Sketch.
    • Site Archive
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Terms and conditions
    • Advertise with us
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • About us
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire UK is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.