We all know that one passive-aggressive person who makes you second-guess what’s really going on. You know the kind—they say things that sound polite but they’re actually hiding their anger. Let’s look at ten classic examples of things they might say. Who knows—knowing these might make it easier for you during conversations.
Featured Image Credit: Pexels.
“Fine. Whatever.”
It’s short & sweet—but oh, it’s so loaded. When someone says, “Fine. Whatever,” they’re practically waving a big red flag that tells people they’re not okay with this but will simply pretend to be. It’s the kind of response you get when the person has given up on trying to get their point across. They just want the discussion to end but without actually resolving anything.
“I’m not mad.”
If someone has to tell you “I’m not mad,” they’re probably anything but calm. It’s a phrase you’ll hear from someone trying really hard to keep their cool yet everyone else feels the heat. They’re holding back some serious frustration. Instead, they’re expecting you to just know why without them having to explain.
Like our content? Be sure to follow us.
“I was only joking.”
Now, that is a tricky one. Saying something sharp and then quickly following it with “I was only joking” to take the sting out doesn’t work as well as you might expect. Rather, it allows you to hide behind your humor and this makes it hard for anyone else to call you out. They’re afraid of looking like they’re overreacting.
“No worries, I’ll just do it myself.”
You may think that “No worries, I’ll just do it myself” sounds noble but it couldn’t be further from the truth. Instead, passive-aggressive people say it to show that you’re not up to scratch. They don’t trust other people to get things right—but they pretend they’re making a sacrifice. Don’t be surprised if you end up feeling inadequate & confused.
“As you wish.”
“As you wish” is another saying that sounds gracious or even a bit fairy-tale-like. Don’t be fooled. It usually comes with plenty of resignation and almost as though the other person is telling you to go ahead & ignore their advice. Really, the speaker wants to step back and let you learn your lesson the hard way. And they do it all while seeming polite!
“I thought you knew.”
Talk about a guilt trip. Saying “I thought you knew” is a way for the other person to blame you for not being in the loop, even when there’s no reason you would have been. Essentially, they’re pointing out your supposed oversight & putting you on the defensive. They don’t even have to take any responsibility for the communication breakdown.
“Thanks for finally showing up.”
Ouch—”Thanks for finally showing up” is another one that can sting! It’s something that passive-aggressive people will save for when someone arrives late & they want to show off how inconvenient their tardiness was. Instead of outright complaining about it, they can do it subtly, which makes this saying passive-aggressive gold.
“Sorry you feel that way.”
“Sorry you feel that way” is anything but an apology and something passive-aggressive people will use to deflect blame. They’re not owning up to their part in causing your upset but putting it all on you—like your feelings are the problem, not their actions. They’re brushing off any responsibility while pretending to offer sympathy.
“Interesting choice.”
We all hate being judged and some people will say “Interesting choice” to sound like they’re not judging you. It’s a lie! They’re really telling you that they think you’ve made an odd decision that they simply don’t agree with. In the end, you’re left wondering whether you’ve made a weird choice—even when there’s nothing wrong with it.
“If you really want to.”
Don’t be surprised if you start doubting yourself after hearing, “If you really want to.” It’s a passive-aggressive person’s way of making you consider your choices by suggesting maybe it’s not as great as you think. They don’t even have to say your decision is bad outright. And somehow, that hurts even worse.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
Like our content? Be sure to follow us.
Read More:
