A Man With A Big Ego Says 11 Phrases Pretty Much Every Time You Talk To Him
AJR_photo | Shutterstock When a man has a big ego, he has a way of making it known that he thinks highly of himself. Most of the time, it's in the way that he speaks during conversations. A man with a big ego says certain phrases pretty much every time you talk to him that may sound casual, but have an undertone of control and self-assurance. In moments where there's a disagreement or even just a normal interaction, the conversation can't help but be steered back toward him.
There's never any room for a back-and-forth like there should be. Most people with big egos tend to take things personally, as explained by psychotherapist Moshe Ratson. Unbalanced emotional states are usually by-products of self-centeredness. Men with big egos thrive on being able to correct others and shut down things that challenge their way of thinking. It's not always intentional, but the effect is all the same. Conversations become difficult, and you never want to engage with them if that's how they behave.
A man with a big ego says 11 phrases pretty much every time you talk to him
1. 'I already know that'
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A man with a big ego will always shut down new information being told to him before he can even hear it. He wants to appear like he's already well-informed and in control of the topic. Saying this phrase gives the impression that nothing new is being introduced to him, even though that might not be completely true. His ego refuses to let him admit that he might not actually know everything.
Instead, he wants to appear confident and knowledgeable, but in that moment he's mostly doing himself a disservice. Some people truly avoid learning new things and being able to educate themselves because of the fact that they can't tolerate not only being bad at something, but having to admit they're unaware about something when they thrive on knowing things.
2. 'That's not how it happened'
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The moment an egotistical man wants to gain an advantage over someone else's perspective, he will pretend that thing didn't happen at all. It's usually because of how uncomfortable he is with being challenged and corrected, even on the smallest of details. Rather than actually taking the time to explore the difference in opinions between him and someone else, he'll just shut the conversation down entirely.
It feels better for him to correct details that don't need to be corrected at all than have to reckon with the fact that he got something wrong in the first place. The inability to actually confront being wrong goes hand-in-hand with his inability to self-reflect and relate to a perspective other than his own.
3. 'People always come to me for answers'
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Rather than coming off as a really helpful person who has knowledge on things people need answers for, he suggests that people are just naturally relying on him because he's in charge all the time. A man with a big ego thrives on thinking he's the person that everyone gravitates towards.
He doesn't actually care about helping anyone. If anything, it's not the part about the interaction that makes him feel good. It's the fact that he was thought of first. It feeds his ego and makes him think others see him as being great, just like how he sees himself in his own mind.
4. 'No one does it better than me'
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A man with a big ego isn't looking to collaborate or be in comparison with anyone else. The second that he feels it happening, he will reinforce the idea that he's the best to ever do something and no one can ever measure up to that. That kind of certainty can feel impressive, but when repeated constantly and in a tone that suggests he truly does believe it, conversations start to feel less open.
He's really looking for validation in that moment. He wants people to agree and to compliment him on all of the things he has going for him. In that moment, he's throwing humility right out the window and doubling down on his own ego. But having humility is what draws people to you. It makes you feel affirmed and appreciated, along with others around you.
5. 'I don't make mistakes like that'
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The one thing that can make a man with a big ego feel fragile in an instant is making a mistake. He truly thinks he's above needing correction because he never messes up or fails in any way. Rather than taking the time to explore what went wrong, he makes it seem like he's a person above error at all times.
Even the most minor of feedback from someone else can feel like they're challenging him and his credibility. Having to actually admit that he's made a mistake requires him to be open to the fact that he's not a perfect person. But his ego won't allow him to do such a thing.
6. 'You wouldn't understand'
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A man with a big ego uses this phrase pretty much every time you talk to him, especially when he sees that his own experience and perspective should be elevated above everyone else's. Rather than opening up the floor for clarification during a conversation, he's closing it entirely.
By deciding what someone else can or cannot understand, he's positioning himself as the authority who knows everything and anything. It can feel incredibly dismissive and hurtful to someone on the receiving end of this. Rather than being given the chance to ask questions, they're told that their curiosity isn't welcomed at all.
But for a man with a big ego, it can feel empowering to remove the possibility of ever being questioned since they always want to remain in control of how they're being perceived. But a person who can't handle the perspective of others only ends up hurting themselves because now their viewpoint is limited and incomplete.
7. 'I don't need advice'
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His strong need to always maintain some kind of control and independence is often the reason why a man like this is so against receiving any kind of advice during a conversation. Accepting it can be quite uncomfortable for him because of how much he identifies with always being correct. So instead of considering the perspective of someone else, even when they have the right intentions, he has the urge to just reject it altogether.
He wants to constantly feel like he's fully capable, even when it's clear that he's not. A man with a big ego will outright refuse advice and even help because of the fact that, in his eyes, it can mean that he thinks he'll be perceived as a failure. So to avoid having to confront those fears and insecurities, he clams up and makes it seem like he's fine on his own.
8. 'I don't really need to explain myself'
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Rather than clarifying any misunderstandings, a man with a big ego will claim that he doesn't need to explain himself at all. His pride makes him double down on things, even though other people in the conversation might have been confused or even offended.
Explaining himself means that he has to actually be vulnerable, which is something he struggles with. So instead of doing that and opening up a conversation with honest dialogue, he strongly positions himself as being right and not needing to open up at all.
9. 'I was right all along'
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A man with a big ego will take every chance to reinforce his own sense of superiority. He frames every single interaction as a situation where he needs to win and come out on top. He never misses an opportunity to make it known that he was right about something, even if it was on a technicality or at the expense of someone else's feelings. It gives him a chance to receive validation and reinforce the belief he has in himself that protects his self-image.
While it can feel satisfying for him to brag about being right, it also effectively pushes people away. No one wants to be in conversation with someone that feels entitled to winning at all times, even when there is no competition happening. But a man with a big ego always needing to be right just shows how fragile his ego tends to be.
10. 'That's beneath me'
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An egotistical man will always make it seem as if certain things are just beneath what he should have to handle. He sees himself as someone that operates at a certain level and only things he approves of are worth his time.
During conversation with people, he uses this phrase as a way to distinguish himself from others. When someone is regularly labeling things as being "beneath" them, they're usually never willing to actually engage with anyone or anything. Instead, they become extremely selective at what their energy should be used toward and what it shouldn't have to be at all.
It might not be meant as an offensive remark to others, but that's usually how it's taken. Eventually, people no longer want to be around someone who can't seem to put their ego to the side for even a second.
11. 'That's not my fault though'
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A man with a big ego never wants to take the time to apologize and make things right when his behavior or words have clearly affected someone else in a negative way. The second he's confronted during a conversation, he will claim that nothing was his fault. He will play the role of the victim so he doesn't have to admit that he might have been wrong and hurt someone in the process.
He refuses to listen through the problem and, instead, his instinct is to shift the blame to anything or anyone else. Now a productive conversation that was meant to get to the bottom of something becomes a conversation where he's deflecting and refusing to problem-solve.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
