People Who Are Secretly Jealous Of You Usually Say 6 Phrases They Try To Pass Off As Jokes
luybava | Shutterstock People who are jealous don't exactly want to broadcast their feelings. They will make little digs and pass them off as silly teasing, though. The whole point is to make you feel less confident and keep them from looking bad to everyone else. Once you recognize the phrases, though, these supposedly innocent jokes become a lot easier to spot.
Phrases people say when they're trying to hide their jealousy behind teasing:
1. 'Someone thinks they're pretty special'
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Jealous people believe that this phrase can knock someone down a peg and not be too obvious. They disguise the insult as teasing, but there's often a hint of resentment behind it.
They really just struggle to see others feeling good about themselves. It's a sneaky way to take the fun out of someone else's confidence and not have to reveal that they're actually bothered.
2. 'Must be nice to have everything handed to you'
This is one of those comments that carries a bit of a sting. When someone says this, they're trying to make another person's success seem effortless, like it's not that big of a deal.
Instead of giving credit for the hard work or sacrifices that went into an achievement, they act like it all magically fell into place. It's easier for them to pretend someone has luck and privilege than to admit they're envious of what that person accomplished.
3. 'How'd you get so lucky?'
Maybe someone landed an amazing job, or finally got the recognition they've been waiting for. A jealous person won't give them any credit, though. They chalk it all up to timing or a lucky break. Apparently, all that effort had absolutely nothing to do with it.
People who get envious easily tend to have a tough time watching others get ahead in life. By making success seem like an accident or luck, they don't have to acknowledge what skills or talents another person brings to the table.
4. 'I could never wear that!'
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Cue the sarcasm. This comment might sound like an innocent observation, but sometimes, it's a dig masking as self-deprecation. They play off someone's self-assurance as a little over the top.
There's usually an underlying attempt to make confidence seem like a bad thing. Framing someone's self-esteem as something unusual or even ridiculous subtly says that they should really tone it down.
5. 'Don't let it go to your head'
This is another phrase that can sound playful while still carrying a bit of attitude. It often comes up when someone receives good news or has a moment where things seem to be going their way. A jealous person feels the need to remind them not to get too excited about whatever good thing is happening in their lives.
In reality, they aren't entirely comfortable seeing someone else feel proud of themselves. They may feel overshadowed or worry that the attention is shifting away from them, so they want to make that person second-guess their excitement by sneaking in some negativity.
6. 'Wow! You really pulled that off'
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When used to talk about someone's achievements, this so-called compliment doesn't really feel like a compliment at all. It's almost as if they thought that person never had it in them in the first place.
Joking like this isn't exactly subtle when someone is saying it to you. A jealous person might rely on humor in their tone to hide the fact that they feel less than. So, they sneak in a little put-down and hope nobody notices.
Kayla Asbach is a writer with a bachelor's degree from the University of Central Florida. She covers relationships, psychology, self-help, pop culture, and human interest topics.
