People With Low IQs Always Seem To Use These 11 Smart-Sounding Phrases
Krakenimages.com | Shutterstock On average, people with low IQs tend to overestimate their skills and abilities, according to a study published in the Journal of Intelligence. Whether that’s rooted in low emotional intelligence that urges them to overcompensate or a lack of critical thinking about their own abilities, many people with low IQs try, whether consciously or not, to look, seem, and sound smarter than they really are.
People with low IQs always seem to use certain smart-sounding phrases to amplify their self-image and convince people of their intelligence, even if they fail to achieve their commitments and promises time and time again.
People with low IQs always seem to use these 11 smart-sounding phrases
1. ‘It’s not that simple’
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While truly intelligent people with high IQs work to simplify things to make language, conversations, and subjects more accessible to everyone, people with low IQs overcomplicate. They use complex language, even when they don’t know the definitions, and overcomplicate ideas to make themselves look more competent and smart.
They’re always saying things like “it’s not that simple” to shut down other people’s ideas and opinions, even when in reality, it really is “that simple.”
2. ‘Everyone knows that’
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When a low-intelligence person is trying to claw their way to attention in intellectual or professional spaces, they may actively bring other people down to assert their own misguided superiority. If they don’t have the answer or need a boost of confidence, they make jokes at other people’s expense and invalidate their opinions with a phrase like “everyone knows that.”
Even if they hide their insecurities with overconfidence and loudness, it’s truly one of the phrases they say that means nothing.
3. ‘It’s complicated’
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If a person with a low IQ is boasting about something without truly understanding it on a deep level, they may use a phrase like “it’s complicated” to avoid explaining. Rather than admitting they don’t know something or turning to others for help with things they associate with a “weakness," they double down on their own misguided confidence for security.
Considering complex emotions like sadness provoke overconfident behaviors, often as a coping mechanism, it’s not surprising that these people double down when they’re called out for being ignorant or vague.
4. ‘Let’s circle back to this’
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By overusing corporate lingo that truly has no meaning, a person with a low IQ tries to sound smart or important. They think phrases like “let’s circle back to this” and “boil the ocean” make them seem highly intelligent around others, even when it only makes things more confusing and complex.
Of course, a truly intelligent person is always focused on clarity and accessibility, but a low-IQ person who’s trying to sound smart works better when everyone’s confused. They can easily overcompensate and exaggerate their intelligence if nobody actually knows what they’re talking about.
5. ‘From an intellectual standpoint…’
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While your best ally in sounding smart is typically your voice, there’s power in sitting back, being quiet, and letting other people speak their mind. However, people with low IQs feel a constant need to be at the forefront of conversations, making themselves seem more important and necessary than they actually are.
They’re essentially painting themselves as experts on a certain subject, even if it’s all smoke and feathers. They don’t know what they’re talking about, so they rely on overconfidence, loudness, and a big social presence around others to convince them that they’re important and worthy of attention.
6. ‘It’s just logic’
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People with low IQs always seem to use smart-sounding phrases like “it’s just logic” to solidify their beliefs and leadership around others, even if they have no idea what they’re talking about.
They feign a sense of misguided overconfidence to project their insecurity onto others, even if it leaves them feeling more isolated, attacked, and alone in the end.
7. ‘I knew this would happen’
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Even if they were the person who crafted a solution and led a group of people, the second they go wrong, there’s a lack of accountability. They pretend like they “knew all along” or “knew it would happen” to save face, but in reality, they’re just trying to cope with feelings of insecurity.
Considering insecurity can often be fueled by a fear of failure or mistakes, it’s no surprise that low-intelligence people do everything in their power to separate themselves with a phrase like this when something goes wrong.
8. ‘I’m just on a higher wavelength’
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According to a study published in Intelligence, most high-IQ people are more social than their low-IQ counterparts. They’re not only good at connecting with people but also at making them feel seen, appreciated, and important in even the most casual conversations.
However, people with low IQs often seek to comfort themselves through external validation. They use phrases like “I’m just on a higher wavelength” to seem important, even if it completely dismisses and invalidates the people around them.
9. ‘That’s a common mistake’
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While subtle conversational interruptions like this phrase can often be beneficial for dealing with over-talkers, according to professor Gregg Levoy, when it’s used to dismiss or invalidate another person’s contributions to a shared discussion, it’s much less productive.
Yet, people with low IQs always seem to use these smart-sounding phrases to make themselves look better. They put themselves on an intellectual pedestal, where they can’t be challenged or given feedback, to support their own self-image, even if it only sabotages it by dismissing feelings in the end.
10. ‘Let me break it down for you’
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Even if they’re not entirely conscious of it in the moment, people with low IQs tend to use smart-sounding phrases like “let me break it down for you” that seem condescending to the people around them. So, not only are they often overcompensating for intelligence that’s already lacking, they’re speaking down to people in ways that sabotage their social connections and competency.
Conversations are essential to our well-being, but if we’re not building trust with respect and intentionality in our language, they can also do a lot of harm.
11. ‘It’s nuanced’
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Overcompensation in conversations for intelligence is often rooted in self-esteem issues. According to psychology educator Kendra Cherry, MDEd, it’s a defensive mechanism in which they work extra hard in one area of their life, from superficial social interactions to deep conversations, to hide insecurities in another. People with low IQs always seem to use smart-sounding phrases like “it’s nuanced” to hide their ignorance in topics they know nothing about.
While it’s uncomfortable, they may find a lot of value in simply admitting when they don’t know something and asking for help. It’s impossible for one person to know everything, and asking for help can actually build trust and boost social perceptions, even if it feels scary.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
