Enneagram Type 8 Relationship Compatibility
The Enneagram Type Eight, “The Challenger,” is a passionate and protective romantic partner. Eights love and respect a partner who challenges them to be their best self. They seek loyal and independent partners who aren’t afraid to go after what they want in life and love. However, some may see the Eight as too intense and competitive. If the Eight doesn’t learn to soften their edges and embrace vulnerability, it can cause issues in their relationships.
So, what type is the Enneagram Eight the most compatible with? The truth is that any type can be compatible with an Eight — as long as both partners are devoted to deeply caring, understanding and working toward shared goals together.
Read on to learn more about Enneagram Eight relationship compatibility with each of the nine types. Wondering what Enneagram type is your best match? Take our free Enneagram Compatibility test.
Enneagram Eight With Enneagram One
Type Eights and Type Ones together have some of the biggest energy of any type pairing. When this couple is at their best they’re a hospitable and highly family-oriented couple that is vibrant and loves travel, fitness, and personal growth. Both are often very successful in their careers, so this pairing moves and shapes the world in beautiful ways.
This couple takes any chance to change the world in a better way, protecting the defenseless, serving the underserved, and treating themselves to resting fully and well when the hard work is done. However, when one or both feel left behind from the other’s fast-paced lifestyle, they can get short and angry with each other.
Enneagram Eight With Enneagram Two
Type Eights with Type Twos create a passionate and energetic couple, with a desire for creating fun and inserting their powerful compassion into the world. Both types love to lead others to healing and goodness and offer others tips for their way of right living.
They enjoy indulging and being spoiled by each other after a hard day. However, if they don’t both focus on serving each other, one or both may feel jaded and left behind in the mad rush to be competitively the best, as well as to deny the stress under the surface. If this happens, effective communication is necessary.
Enneagram Eight With Enneagram Three
The Type Eight and Type Three couple can create a beautiful cocoon of safety and healing for both partners. The Eight truly cares about the Three being treated properly and sharing their gifts with the world. And the Three will take great care to make the Eight feel strong and respected. With mutual love and respect is in place, the Three feels valuable, loved, and protected like never before, serving the Eight selflessly. The Eight, for their part, opens up to vulnerability and care like never before.
It’s a beautiful gift to see the momentum build over time in this powerful couple as they share their gifts of justice with the world with their unstoppable community advocacy as well as vibrantly love one another and their family. With their big personalities, they may need help learning to communicate logically and objectively.
Enneagram Eight With Enneagram Four
Type Eights and Type Fours share a fierce desire for protecting their tribe, their values and their relationship. Because they can feel the hierarchical powers of the world, along with the occasional deep skepticism and rejection, finding love and support in one another is innate and necessary.
They will not only fight fiercely for what they believe in within the relationship with their varying ideals, but they will also fight to keep each other strong and healthy. Whether they’re being playful and fun or analytical and deep, they always strive to protect their unique intimacy and passion. Due to their many big emotions, they often need help learning to communicate in healthy ways.
Enneagram Eight With Enneagram Five
Type Eights with Type Fives create a balance of passion and withdrawal. When things are going well, there is a deep undercurrent of love and safety running through their bond. The agony the Eight has felt in the past for not being protected is safe with the Five, who does not demand more emotion than the Eight is willing or able to give.
The Five will also feel continually challenged by an Eight in healthy ways. With this balance, a recognition of their different gifts must be emphasized within the relationship. If it isn’t, resentment and disrespect can ensue, thus making communication help essential.
Enneagram Eight With Enneagram Six
Type Eights and Type Sixes have a unique appreciation for loyalty and love that many other pairings do not share. There is a tribe mentality of “us versus the world” often in their mission to protect the innocent from evil, to stand up as loyal friends for those who are hurt, to lead work industries with troubleshooting, order, and innovation, and most of all, to build trust together so they can back each other up from every possible angle.
When one of them feels a lack of trust or a resistance to their personal needs, they can get quite reactive and open and vulnerable communication is essential.
Enneagram Eight With Enneagram Seven
Type Eights with Type Sevens have a big energy and understanding that comes from their passionate and assertive dynamic. Analytical and energized, their initially explosive anger doesn't often last and the fun can be reinstated even when there is an issue if both parties resolve and compromise.
This pair also shares a deep love of independence and freedom. Since they can each move fast and freely in the world and can give each other healthy checks and balances as well as a bit of space, they move along well with power and intellect. With their busy schedules, they must remember that talking about painful emotions may not feel safe or comfortable. But it is absolutely essential for true growth for this couple.
Enneagram Eight With Enneagram Eight
The Type Eight couple can be one of the healthiest double-number pairings on the Enneagram. They each understand the value of coming toward one another in healthy power to assert themselves. They also undeniably realize that breaks are needed, that withdrawing time can be healthy, and that love means that whatever it is, you work it out, the sooner the better.
Their power moves together may include corporate jobs, owning a company, or completing a family dream together, such as building a gorgeous home or taking grand vacations. Make no mistake, despite the energy and strength of this powerhouse couple, they love kicking back and enjoying themselves together after a long hard day. When their values and sense of justice and rightness collide, it’s important for them not only to retreat, but to face any denial of issues with specific and logical steps to better communicate.
Enneagram Eight With Enneagram Nine
Type Eights and Type Nines love creative and innovative experiences. They enjoy their rest time together — trying new restaurants, traveling, taking care of pets and children, starting companies or working to top levels with ease that most without such energy cannot maintain. And, they combine their gifts to serve their community with passion, peace and action.
The fact that both members of this pairing are witty also creates a chemistry for long term excitement since the Eight enjoys trying to get a rise out of the wise and patient Nine. When their dreams for the relationship collide, they need to process logically and without withdrawing into their inner world and may need specific tools to improve communication.
