Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Share Their All-Time Favorite Polite Insults

People Share Their All-Time Favorite Polite Insults
Image by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay
Make us preferred on Google

Sometimes, you just have to say it. You're in the presence of someone wildly hard-headed, misguided, self-absorbed, or just plain arrogant. And they're just going on and on.


You can't imagine letting this person leave this interaction without any awareness of their behavior. They need to be told and, ideally, pushed to reflect.

And yet you do not enjoy conflict. In fact, you avoid it whenever possible. These two facts--a loudmouth and pacifism--create a tiresome impasse.

But there is a solution. It's the ideal comment to hover right in that sweet spot where true conflict isn't stirred but annoyance is nonetheless expressed. It's the polite insult.

The polite insult is difficult to master but a worthy tool in your arsenal as you navigate a world full of all kinds of people. On the outside, it's nice enough to remain in the friendly tone of most interactions. And yet, if the person really thinks about it, there is no doubt what is conveyed.

Lucky for us, a Reddit thread pulled together the best of them.

Lampy5 asked, "What is your favorite polite insult?"

Fingers Crossed for Karma

"I hope your day is as pleasant as you are." -- llcucf80

"Its a solid insult for working retail because odds are they figure out what you mean while they are in the car driving away." -- runawaytoaster

"This is a staple sentence as a server/bartender" -- SpicySoggypickle

Someone's Gotta Keep Things In Check

"I'd agree with you but then we'd both be wrong." -- Oniwaban9

"Definitely using this one" -- umasa001

"I'd agree thats a good insult, but then we'd both be wrong...No, it actually is a good one, I just wanted to use it on u xD" -- kegegeam

"DUH"

"As per my last email..." -- TipsyPeanuts

"I once got a very nasty email from our admin staff that one of my time sheets had not been sent in, and it needed to be sent in IMMEDIATELY or the world would end. So I forwarded the same email I had sent them last week that had everything attached" -- PM_UR_NUDES_LADIES

Never Good to Be Quaint

"Well aren't you precious? (soft, super-condescending smile here)" -- Unknown_system_error

"Aww bless your heart." -- billybobjimmyjoe

"This all the way." -- ChangetheGame20

"It's more like 'you poor idiot,' or 'it must be hard being that stupid'" -- _PM_ME_YOUR_SYNTAX

Casting Doubt

"When somebody compliments themselves, I'll ask 'Who told you that?'" -- msb41

"Brutal" -- Krissy_loo

"And if the stars align, they say 'My mom,' to which you can say, 'ah yes, she just wants you to be happy.'" -- im_dead_sirius

Hovering Nicely in the Bell Curve 

"It's nice that you're so ordinary." -- ReaverRogue

"You look like you'd be easy to draw." -- wesontap

"This made me chuckle! Love it." -- THE_Lena

Utter Neutrality

"'Yeah, that's an idea' if I can't genuinely say it's a good idea." -- KiloRomeo0588

"'That's a... unique idea' is my go to" -- Sethrial

Odorless, Tasteless, Featureless

"If you were a spice, you would be flour." -- ItsYourBoyReckster

"That wasn't polite, that was f***ing heartless. Ouch, I wanna try it out." -- 2HrsOnTheName

All About Tone

"'good for you' said in the right condescending tone." -- immajustgooglethat

"Want a cookie works well" -- AMouse82

"'If you say so' is - I believe - the English equivalent." -- christianunionist

Take a Load Off

"'He was never overburdened by intelligence.'" -- DrumlineFreak

"Cant remember who but someone said about George bush 'he was a humble man with much to be humble about'" -- woosterthunkit

Poorly Adjusted

"Who ties your shoelaces for you?"

"What colour is the sky in your world?"

"Do you have someone who looks after you?"

-- Rufus_Everard

Keeping it Neutral 

"'Look at that face'"

"My ex-husband (we were married at the time) had friends who had a baby right after ours was born. I went to visit and commiserate about newborns with the wife."

"She brought out the baby and...well all I could say was 'look at that face' because while I find babies weird looking (even my own) as newborns, this one was...well...idk I feel bad saying it but fugly"

-- TitusLemonades

Nudging Them to Awareness

"'Oh, you're welcome!'"

"(Me pretending like I heard them say 'thank you' when they're just ungrateful.)"

-- thunder_spears

Unsolicited Support

"I don't care what they say about you, you're ok" -- vhfdthcfjvff

"This one's pure evil, and it's why I love it so much." -- addictivemischief

Just Posh Enough to Throw Off the Scent

"'One hardly speaks of such things'"

"My standard response to anyone who asks a question about something that is none of their damn business."

-- kalee28

BUB

"Calling someone 'bud'" -- bigaus25

"This or 'bub' 'Hey I got some issues for you to deal with today bub. You and and young bucks out there should be able to handle it bub!'" -- FupaSmacker

"i feel like when dads do it its more... reassuring..? idk just dads give off a certain energy." -- Longjumping_Diamond5

Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Screenshot of Kellyanne Conway; Donald Trump
Fox News; Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images

Kellyanne Conway Just Tried To Claim Trump's Divisive Speech On The National Mall Was Actually 'Inclusive'—And The Delusion Is Real

President Donald Trump's former White House counselor Kellyanne Conway was criticized after she praised his speech on the National Mall on Wednesday night by claiming on Fox News that Trump extended an "olive branch" to people who didn't vote for him.

Trump's remarks themselves resembled a campaign rally more than the unifying and "inclusive" celebration organizers had promised. Within minutes of taking the stage, he criticized former President Joe Biden without mentioning him by name, declaring that the United States had recently been "a dead country" before claiming it had become "the hottest country anywhere in the world."

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot from @kelseycorky's video; AMC Theatres
@Kelseycorky/TikTok; Sheldon Cooper/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images

Woman Sparks Debate With Video Calling Out AMC Theater Conditions After Paying $60 To See Movie

Going to the movies after school or at the end of a long week was a favorite pastime for Millennials and Gen-Xers.

Until the pandemic, it was a pretty affordable experience, assuming the moviegoer was mindful about their purchases at the concessions stand.

Keep ReadingShow less
Toddler receiving red card on soccer field
@EpicClipVault

Little Boy Gets Red Card After Crashing Older Brother's Soccer Game In Hilarious Viral Video

The FIFA World Cup is in full swing in the United States, and like every other year, there's a healthy dose of cards getting thrown for bad or questionable plays.

But adorably, one team of young players was interrupted by an excited future soccer player.

Keep ReadingShow less
Woman stood up and blocked by date
@raphousetv2/X

Woman Speaks Out After Realizing After 45 Minutes That Her Date Dined And Dashed On Her In Viral Video

Not every first date is going to turn into a relationship, and not every relationship is going to last.

In fact, a person can end a date, friendship, or relationship for any reason that they want—though preferably, they'd be honest about it and not keep the other person guessing.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jo Frost
@jofrost/Instagram

'Supernanny' Star Speaks Out With Warning To Parents Who Aren't Allowing Their Kids To Learn Basic Life Skills In Viral Video

Jo Frost, a global parenting expert and a British TV personality known for starring on the hit reality show Supernanny, has finally spilled the tea on something she's needed to talk about for a long time: how children are growing up less and less prepared for adulthood.

In a video she initially shared on Instagram, Frost looks apprehensive at first, clenching her hands as she prepares the viewer:

Keep ReadingShow less