We all have words or phrases that instantly rub us the wrong way. Sometimes it’s a cliché that feels fake, other times it’s a throwaway line that reveals a lot more about someone’s attitude than they realize. A single phrase can be enough to make you roll your eyes—or even lose a little respect for the person saying it.
So, I asked the Bored Panda community to share the words or expressions that immediately set off red flags for them. From cringey catchphrases to everyday sayings that just don’t sit right, these answers show how powerful language can be—and how quickly the wrong words can change your impression of someone.
#1
"Everything happens for a reason."
Please tell me the reason why my mother died like a dog from dementia, genius. I'll wait.
#2
For me, it’s when someone says, “I’m just being honest,” right after saying something unnecessarily cruel. Honesty is great, but when it’s used as a shield for rudeness, it feels more like an excuse than a virtue.
#3
"It's just a (cat/dog/iguana…)" — said when someone loses a pet.
#4
"I don’t believe in mental illness."
From a close family member who knows I have severe depression, knows I am on medication, and knows I have tried to take my own life in the past!
#5
"Influencer" or "content creator"—either of those words likely means you don’t know what you’re talking about when it comes to what you’re trying to get your followers to buy. So, I have no respect for you.
#6
Because I'm a… [Insert Zodiac Sign]
#7
"God won't give you more than you can handle."
"And aren't you over that by now?"
#8
"No offence."
It's so annoying—people just say it to try and get away with saying something terrible!
#9
I'm not, but…
If you start a sentence with that, then you most definitely are bigoted. It doesn't matter if it's about race, gender, or sexual orientation— as soon as those words are uttered, I lose respect.
#10
Woke. It's just: "Things are more complicated than my simplistic worldview accounts for, and I don't want complexity making me question it."
#11
A word or phrase that makes me instantly lose respect for someone is anything dismissive of other people’s humanity—like when someone says, “I’m just being honest,” right after insulting someone, or, “That’s just how I was raised,” to excuse bigotry. Those kinds of phrases signal that the person isn’t interested in growth, empathy, or accountability, and that usually tells me everything I need to know.
#12
"Do you know how much I make a year?"
#13
"Be better." It's a passive-aggressive way of saying, "Align your views with mine because my thinking on this topic makes me a better person than you," and it marks the person as arrogant and condescending.
#14
"Oh, just ChatGPT/Copilot/Gemini it." What happened to "Google it"? Why are we relying on a very inaccurate robot to give us our information?
#15
It's beginning to be "Prove me wrong."
#16
"I am her father. You need to respect me." Lost respect immediately. You earn respect; you don't ask for it.
#17
"I don't mean to be rude, but…" means they're about to be rude.
#18
Not a word or a phrase, but a conversational style: arguing with everything the other person says, insisting that they justify every statement or back up every assertion they make. Saying, “But what about [unlikely possibility],”—aka sealioning.
#19
Well, "I'm an influencer" has already been covered, so let's just go with, "Do you know who I am/who my father is?"
#20
"Not all men" and "Misandry!" — said when women talk about negative experiences with men.
#21
I know a person who puts a dollar amount on everything. Not, "Can you hand me my sunglasses?" But, "Can you hand me my $1,200 sunglasses?" Every time… every chance she gets. I wish I saw her less than every couple of years.
#22
When a man refers to his lovely spouse as "the wife."
#23
Using "irregardless."
#24
“I’m just playing devil’s advocate” — said when they are trying to justify being cruel.
#25
"Do you know who I am?"
#26
"We only want what's best for you."
You think I don't know what's best for me?
#27
5G… chemtrails… antivax… All of these are the worst of the human condition. We are fully in Idiocracy mode now.
#28
Whatever.
#29
When every sentence ends with the words "you know." No, I don't know. You didn't really explain the point you were trying to make.
Using slang or making up words that are already in the dictionary. I don't want to look up stuff just to understand the conversation.
Every other word is "bro" or something like it. I might be showing my age, but at least I'm educated enough to communicate with people.
#30
"No offence, but…" I just hate it when someone says that—they mean offence. I just lose my respect for them (which I probably didn't have in the first place).
#31
"So I was listening to Rogan," or "I read on InfoWars." May as well tell me you read it in the tabloids—at least you can read, but geez.
#32
The words like and literally.
#33
It really infuriates me when anyone uses a dog as a way to insult someone, especially in a really bad way.
Dogs are by far the most loving, caring, loyal, generous, patient, forgiving, and peaceful creatures on the planet. All they want to do is fill your life with happiness and unconditional love. They never cheat, treat you badly, or hurt you in any way. They just make your life better by simply being there.
People, on the other hand, can be the exact opposite—especially when they act in ways that lead others to call them a dog. They can be nasty, cruel; they start wars, they cheat, they kill, and their greed knows no bounds. If anything, dogs should be held up as a way to be, not as an insult, but as a compliment and as a model for how to live: kind, loving, caring, funny. The world would be a much better place if people were more like dogs.
#34
I am not a n**i, but…
#35
"I'm the victim here!"
#36
I'm not racist, but…
#37
"I voted for Trump. Twice."
#38
"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words may never harm me." Bull***t. Words hurt.
#39
I love Donald Trump.
#40
"Gee, you're so pretty/handsome," said over and over.
#41
¡Viva la libertad, carajo! (Milei's words after every speech.)
#42
I have two: the first is the word "schmiko"—drives me nuts… the second is the phrase "Live life to the full/fullest"—so trite and nonsensical…
#43
The "N word" and "w*****k."
#44
"Unthaw." I know—it's stupid. But I will DIE ON THIS HILL. Thaw is defrost. Unthaw is un-defrost. Unthaw is freeze. STOP SAYING UNTHAW!
#45
"Well, bully for you!"—spoken with a Texas twang.
#46
"Are you KIDDING ME? (Right now)"
#47
"You're amazing." This was written on the sidewalk across from my store as part of a day when people write uplifting messages in chalk.
No, I'm not. You have to actually do something amazing to be amazing. You don't get to call yourself that just because you got out of bed this morning. I take it as an insult, frankly—like when a toddler does a little jump and you say, "Wow, buddy, that's amazing!" What am I supposed to say? "Yay, I'm amazing!" Any of those sorts of mindless platitudes annoy me to no end.
#48
Per my last email.
