Someone Trying To Make You Look Dumb Usually Says 7 Passive-Aggressive Phrases
jantsarik / Shutterstock When someone tries to make everyone think you are stupid and that they are the smartest person in the room, their behavior usually only makes them look worse.
No one wants to be around a know-it-all, especially one who makes passive-aggressive comments at someone else’s expense. People who use language like this in front of others may be trying to make you look foolish.
Passive aggressive phrases people use when they want you look dumb:
1. ‘Do you even understand what I’m saying?’
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If you’ve ever had a conversation where someone made this passive-aggressive comment towards you, you know how offensive it is. They act like they’re coming to conclusions only the world’s greatest minds could comprehend. In reality, they are saying things you definitely understand, but they downplay your intelligence to impress everyone else and make you look dumb in the process.
Some people naturally need to feel superior. Certain personality types think they are better than everyone else and will show it by putting others down. When this happens, know you’re not dumb, and the real problem lies with the other person.
2. ‘You can’t be serious’
I’m the type of person who becomes easily intimidated in a group setting. I get nervous to share my opinions because I worry they will laugh at me or think my perception is stupid. This causes me to hold back, which always leaves me feeling bad once the gathering ends. When someone is passive-aggressive and trying to make me look dumb, it’s enough for me to never hang out with them again. My self-esteem can’t handle it.
Sharing a thought with someone only to have them say that you can’t be serious is an easy way for them to try to break you down and make you feel ashamed. Even if your idea was good, if it wasn’t theirs, they think it’s pointless. They’re encouraging the group to take their side, feeling as though they are the only ones with the authority to contribute. Understanding their motivation and realizing you’re not the problem can make it easier to navigate people like this.
3. ‘Of course you wouldn’t know that’
Have you heard of the Dunning-Kruger effect? It’s a type of cognitive bias that makes people overconfident, even when they have no idea what they’re talking about. Thinking they know better than everyone else, they can easily become passive-aggressive and dismissive towards others. Even if they don’t actually know, they’ll do anything they can to look smart and put other people down.
Someone like this wrongly overestimates their knowledge. Saying passive-aggressive things like, "Of course you wouldn’t know," makes them look smart, but they also might have no idea what they’re saying. It’s all about confidence and ego.
4. ‘If that makes sense to you…’
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Some people aren’t afraid to put others down, no matter how bad it makes them look. By blowing off something they said and pretending it wasn’t intelligent, they think they’re impressing everyone else. They’re the smart ones, and why would someone else try to chime in? Acting like other people’s perspectives are stupid makes them feel better about themselves.
The truth is, they may not be as confident as they appear. They think they have to bring people down to succeed, but of course, that’s not true. They think humiliating them proves something, but it only makes them look desperate.
5. ‘Do you need me to explain it again?’
Passive-aggressiveness can show whether someone is annoyed with you. If they feel like they’re explaining their ‘extremely intelligent’ idea over and over again, they’ll make backhanded comments meant to make someone else feel stupid. The truth is, they may be the one making their point unclear. They think they’re the smartest person in the room, but that might be far from the truth.
Most people are not nearly as stupid as some assume. Speaking down to them is demeaning and frustrating.
6. ‘No offense, but…’
When someone says no offense, but..., you can almost guarantee what they’re about to say is definitely offensive. I’ve never had a conversation that started with that phrase and was genuinely not offensive. It’s a saying people hope will get your guard down so they can insult you without making it too obvious. It’s almost like they are sorry before they even say it. Well, at least they hope it comes off that way.
Most people already know where the conversation is going. Clearly, they are going to say something hurtful or make you look dumb in front of everyone else. They’re purposely trying to get under your skin.
7. ‘That’s not how it works, but whatever you say…’
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More than one approach to a situation can be correct. People who feel superior to everyone else aren’t capable of seeing things from someone else’s perspective. They think they are always right, even when they aren’t. They may try to correct you in front of others to put you down. They want to think they are right, no matter what it means for you.
This type of person is selfish and difficult to be around. They may have narcissistic tendencies, which can lead them to look down on others and have no issue with making them feel bad, especially in front of an audience.
Haley Van Horn is a freelance writer with a master’s degree in Humanities living in Los Angeles. Her focus includes entertainment and lifestyle stories.
