People Who Think They Can Walk All Over You Almost Always Say These 11 Phrases
Don't let them take advantage of your kindness.
Krakenimages.com | Shutterstock Entitled people don’t just take advantage of people’s kindness and feel deserving of things simply because of who they are, but they also yearn for attention all the time. Whether it’s in casual conversations or at work, they believe they should be the center of attention at all times.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re deserving of it. In fact, they often use manipulation tactics to get their way and gaslighting phrases like “it’s just a joke” to guilt people into giving them what they want. People who think they can walk all over you almost always say these phrases and indulge in these behaviors, even if it’s at the expense of the relationship.
People who think they can walk all over you almost always say these 11 phrases
1. ‘Just relax’
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When someone overlooks or dismisses your emotions with a phrase like “just relax,” chances are they’re actually just protecting themselves. Whether it’s a fear of vulnerability or a personal discomfort with accepting responsibility for hurting others, people who think they can walk all over you will often invalidate emotions to safeguard themselves.
They operate from a place of entitlement and insecurity, where they not only feel deserving of access to every part of you and your life, but also empowered enough to protect themselves by hurting your well-being and emotions.
2. ‘It’s just a joke’
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When someone hurts your feelings or does something wrong, hearing a phrase like “it’s just a joke” doesn’t make up for the pain they caused. It might prove to be a way for a gaslighter to avoid having to apologize or take accountability. Still, for the most part, it simply invalidates another person’s pain and makes them feel more alone.
People who think they can walk all over you without consequences will likely use a phrase like this often, trying to hide behind a joking facade, even if they intended to be hurtful and malicious.
3. ‘Don’t be so sensitive’
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People who attack you for your emotions and being sensitive often don't have the same kind of emotional intelligence to lean on. They find emotions and vulnerability to be threatening, especially when someone's not afraid to trust their own in the face of manipulation.
Even if you truly are a sensitive person who feels things deeply, that’s not something to be ashamed of. In many ways, this layer of empathy, compassion, and emotional intelligence is a superpower compared to a self-centered person who only thinks about themselves.
4. ‘You’re always like this’
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To guilt you into acting in ways that benefit them, rather than empower you, people who think they can walk all over you use phrases like this one. “You’re always like this” is another way for them to say, “You never give me what I want without complaining.”
The people in your life should be respectful of your boundaries and empower you to make decisions in your best interest, not guilt you into overlooking personal needs for their comfort and well-being.
5. ‘If you really cared about me…’
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By weaponizing someone’s fear of abandonment, personal insecurity, or the supposedly “unconditional” nature of love in a relationship, a manipulative person uses a phrase like this to get what they want. Even if it’s not helping their partner or is not healthy for their friend to indulge, they leverage a relationship by making it transactional in their favor.
They may never offer to help other people or support their emotions, but when it comes to what they want, they’ll do whatever it takes, even at the expense of trust in their relationships.
6. ‘Clearly, you don’t care’
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By trying to tell people how they feel and putting words in their mouths to better support their own narrative, people who think they can walk all over you can take advantage of people with consequences. They weaponize other people’s words and paint them as the bad guy, all so they can leverage pity and attention for their own gain.
They don’t care about the truth. They only care about their truth, which is usually some kind of situation where they’ve been wronged by the universe, life, or someone else in life. By using a phrase like “clearly, you don’t care,” they can make themselves out to be the victim, protecting them from needing to own up to their mistakes or take responsibility for hurting others.
7. ‘I didn’t mean it like that’
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By using phrases like “I didn’t mean it like that” to cover their hurtful tracks and to make excuses for hurting others, people who think they can walk all over you take advantage of your forgiveness. They think they can speak negatively behind your back, call you names, and weaponize your insecurities, all without needing to take accountability for the aftershock they cause.
Whether it’s rooted in narcissism, insecurity, or general fear, these kinds of people avoid accountability because they refuse to be wrong. They believe they’re entitled to not only your time and space, but also endless comfort and attention, without consequences.
8. ‘You always take things the wrong way’
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Even though gaslighting behaviors can be subtle and phrases like this can seem harmless in the moment, forensic psychologist Joni E. Johnston argues that gaslighting tendencies like this can rewire a victim’s brain. Not only does it erode their sense of security and confidence, but it also rewires their brain to be less trusting of reality.
Of course, misunderstanding someone and feeling misunderstood yourself can have severe consequences. However, if you have good intentions and are made to feel “crazy” simply for expressing concerns, that’s intentional manipulation.
9. ‘Don’t start this again’
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By painting your behaviors or personality as a pattern of toxicity or leveraging insecurities to make themselves feel better, people who think they can walk all over you disrespect you. They clearly don’t care about making you feel heard or understood, so instead, they condemn you for being confident and outspoken.
Of course, self-protective behaviors like setting boundaries and calling out misbehavior are going to make them upset. They’re manipulators who thrive when you’re weak, vulnerable, and most insecure. But don’t let these name-calling tendencies and toxic phrases spark self-doubt, because that’s their goal.
10. ‘I literally never said that’
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According to clinical psychologist Bill Knaus, gaslighting is often a favorite behavior for selfish people who believe they’re entitled to everyone else’s time, space, and attention. They use phrases like “I literally never said that” to make people feel “crazy” for standing their ground, only to later benefit from their lack of boundaries and self-assuredness.
People who think they can walk all over you almost always say phrases like this, but recognizing when they’re simply gaslighting or manipulative tendencies in disguise can protect you from being taken advantage of.
11. ‘You make me feel crazy’
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Rather than weaponizing phrases like “you sound crazy” or “you’re overreacting” to gaslight people into believing they’re wrong, people who think they can walk all over you may say a phrase like this to directly paint you as the perpetrator.
You’re the person in the wrong, even if being in the wrong just means calling out their bad behavior, setting boundaries, and being outspoken in protecting yourself.
Even if they’re not directly lying, a manipulative and entitled person will do whatever it takes to paint themselves as the victim. Instead of taking accountability for their lack of emotional regulation skills or frustrations, they make other people feel guilty for “making them” behave poorly.
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.
