People Who Hate Small Talk Usually Use 9 Casual Phrases To Get Off An Annoying Phone Call
KaterynaUKR / Shutterstock Some people have a deep dislike of small talk of any kind. They may have social anxiety, or they may be super introverted, but regardless of the reason, there's a good chance that if they don't like chitchat, there will be lots of phone calls they find incredibly annoying.
They may prefer deep conversations or independent work over making conversation with someone who’s following a rigid, predictable script. However, it doesn’t have to be awkward for them to take a step back. In fact, many people who hate small talk consistently use smart, casual phrases to get off annoying phone calls or out of certain conversations.
If someone hates small talk, they'll often use these casual phrases to get off of annoying phone calls.
1. ‘Alright, well…’
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Sometimes, all a conversation needs to fizzle out is a cue that someone’s trying to step away. They don’t even have to say they have to go abruptly. Sometimes, a transitional phrase or a sigh is enough to cue the other person to finish up what they’re saying.
Even a few beats of silence can be awkward enough for acquaintances on the phone to end the call. Smart people use these phrases and moments strategically, especially when they’re busy or annoyed by someone on the phone, and need a quick out to protect their peace of mind.
2. ‘Well, I’d better go’
People spend nearly a third of their waking hours talking or listening to other people, oftentimes when they don’t want to be. As a 2021 study found, most conversations don’t end when someone actually wants them to, and people-pleasing behaviors or social norms keep them stuck.
Even if it occasionally comes across as cold or direct, protecting our energy from draining superficial conversations requires a blunt cut-off like, “Well, I’d better go.” That’s how someone who knows how to protect their time and energy steps away from conversations and interactions that don’t suit them, without needing to blatantly call out how annoying someone is or hurt their feelings.
3. ‘It’s been nice to talk to you’
Even if it’s a blatant lie, we underestimate just how powerful warmth in the most annoying conversations, or really, any conversation, can be. People feel better about themselves and have better perceptions of the people they’re talking to when they perceive warmth in someone’s words.
Even saying it’s been nice to talk to someone as a means to an end on a phone call is much more powerful socially than an abrupt statement that you have to go.
4. ‘I’m getting another call, we’ll talk soon’
Sometimes, we can’t get away from using an excuse in these situations. Especially if we’ve already tried one of the above phrases with no luck, sometimes an abrupt end is inevitable. There are less acceptable excuses, of course, that make people feel bad about themselves, but there are also good excuses that make a good, morally strong intention clear, like in this case.
Someone’s intention is to avoid wasting their energy, but it’s also to ensure they don’t say something they don’t mean or hurt someone’s feelings. As long as they’re not actively lying at the expense of someone else, they’re making a good excuse in their best interest.
5. ‘Before I go…’
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Ironically, asking a thoughtful question with “before I go” can make someone feel valued before you hang up the phone. You’re giving them a reminder that you need to end the call, but you’re also using a question to make them feel important.
That’s why asking questions increases how liked someone is in a social context. We all want to feel like what we have to say is important, and even when those people are actively annoying us, it’s still in our power to make them feel secure and good before ending a conversation.
6. ‘Let’s come back to this’
Yes, conversations are great for our well-being when we click with someone, actively listen, and feel heard. However, if a conversation or small talk is draining our energy, it can do quite the opposite. That’s why the excuse of taking space and needing to come back to a conversation is useful for many people.
Especially when you’re diving into something with more depth, but it still feels as superficial as the small talk that led you in, saying you'll come back to it is the perfect excuse for someone to avoid endless annoyances.
7. ‘I’ll think this over, and get back to you’
Getting away from a screen or isolating into intentional solitude are both powerful habits for smart people who need time to think. Even for introverts, it’s much harder to brainstorm and gather their thoughts when there’s someone eagerly waiting for an answer on the other side of a phone.
So, even when they know what they’d like to say, an introvert or intelligent person can use this need to their advantage. They can ask for space and time to think as a means of protecting their energy, even without any real problem or issue to think about on the table.
8. ‘Take care, see you soon’
Ending a conversation with the promise of another one can make a blunt ending favorable, even if the person saying this phrase has no intention of ever seeing the person again. It’s the kind of conversational warmth that makes people feel special, and even if it’s not always 100% earnest, they don’t have to know that.
Yes, there are times when boundaries and endings, even to a conversation, won’t be well-received by everyone, but sometimes, on a phone call, there’s more flexibility to both protect your energy and also the feelings of whoever is on the other line.
9. ‘I’ll let you go’
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When someone feels like it’s their decision to end the call, even when it’s not really, it can change the dynamic. Saying you'll let them go allows the person you're talking to to feel like they’re being offered freedom and time back, even when it’s really someone trying to casually escape a conversation they’re endlessly annoyed by.
Yes, you also put yourself in danger of someone saying they think you're just trying to get off the phone with them, but most of the time, people can take the simple hint that you’re trying to get off the phone.
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.
