What is a backhanded compliment exactly? Ever heard those weird compliments where it sounds like the person said something nice about you, but for some reason, you actually feel insulted? Yeah, that would be it.
A backhanded compliment is that weird interaction when somebody gives a nice comment about your appearance or achievement, or anything else about you — for example, “I really like your hair color!” — but then adds something that implies that up until this moment, this feature of yours was really not up to standard, something along the lines of “It is so much better than the color you had before!” How does that sound? Exactly. Like until now, you were walking around with really ugly hair. Not much of a compliment, is it?
There are two main reasons why people might give you backhanded compliments. One is they don’t know any better. They genuinely want to praise you, and to show you how much they appreciate your new look or achievement, they compare it to a time when — in their opinion — it wasn’t as good. If that’s the case, just accept the compliment and ignore the rest.
On the other hand, there are instances where people actually want to be mean to you but, for whatever reason, can’t do it directly, so they resort to insulting compliments. For moments like this, you need to be ready and know how to respond to insults. In my opinion, there is no need to get angry and annoyed; instead, a returned funny compliment with a double meaning will do the trick.
For this article, we have collected some backhanded compliment examples. What was the most ridiculous one you have ever received and how did you respond to it?
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"I Wish I Was As Smart As You Think You Are"
"I Hope The Rest Of Your Day Is As Pleasant As You Are!"
"You Look Amazing For Your Age"
"You’re Not As Dumb As You Look"
"You [Do Activity Well], For A Woman"
"I Wish I Didn't Have Any Responsibilities Like You"
"You're Super Cool And Sweet, Too Bad You're Short"
"I Wish I Could Find A Guy Like You"
Ah. Rejection in the form of a compliment. +100 sting If you are a woman
“You Have Nice Handwriting, For A Man”
"I Know How Beautiful You Can Be With Make Up On"
"I Didn’t Expect You To Get The Job - Congratulations!"
"You’re Pretty… On The Inside"
"You Look Great. Have You Lost Weight?"
"I Always Feel More Intelligent After Reading Your Work"
"That’s A Beautiful Photo Of You. I Didn’t Recognize You At First"
"I Wish I Was As Relaxed As You Are About Messiness"
"You're So Independent — It's No Wonder You Haven't Found Anyone Yet"
"I Bet You Were In Great Shape When You Were Younger"
"It's A Good Thing You're Pretty"
I always say "it's a good thing you're cute" to bad little kids. ..
"You're Pretty When You're Quiet"
"I Think It's Really Cool That You Don't Wear Makeup. I Could Never Be That Brave!"
"You're Amazing For Going Back To Work. I Could Never Let A Stranger Watch My Kids!"
"You're So Pretty For A [Insert Minority Here]!"
I received this "compliment," and the person(s) wondered why I stayed away. 🙄
"How Is The View From The Top Of The Bell Curve?"
Doctor, I have been feeling a little too smart these past few days. 🤮
"You're Perfect For Me, Just Not Perfect For Me Right Now"
"You've Got A Great Smile — Use It!"
"Real Women Have Curves"
"Your Haircut Makes Your Nose Look Smaller"
"You Look Really Nice In This Light"
"Your Instagram Makes You Seem So Fun!"
"Those Earrings Are So Nice. My Grandma Would Love Them"
"Well, Half Your Outfit Looks Fabulous"
"You Clean Up So Well!"
Ever looked up the word 'comedogenic'?? It's quite insulting this day and age!!!!
"Have You Pooped Today? You Look Thin In The Middle"
Why yes i have, right in the middle of your living room :D
"I Don't Care What They Say About You, You're Alright"
"Wow, You're A Lot Better Looking In Person!"
"I Used To Think You Were Hot When I First Met You"
"You Are The Only Person I Know That Suits Being Awkward"
Go out, and meet some other people, dear. How long since you've been out? 🙁🙃
"Your Skin Looks So Much Better!"
"I Can't Believe You Just Had A Kid. You Look Amazing!"
"Your Hair Is Beautiful. Is It Real?"
"May I ask if that is all your own hair? Hm. Pity it's red. " (If you get that reference, then you're an awesome person... 😁)
"You Look Great — Fit, But Not Too Muscular"
"Your House Feels So Cozy And Lived In"
"That New Haircut Suits You So Much Better Than Your Old One"
"I Would Never Be Able To Pull Off That Outfit"
"The Way You've Overcome Your Disability Is So Inspiring!"
Really, feeling inspired to get disabilitadet as well, are we???😐🤔
"You're A Lot Lighter Than You Look"
"But Why Would You Get Tattoos? You're Such A Pretty Girl!"
"You've Got A Face For Television But A Personality For The Internet"
"You're Actually Handsome For Being A Redhead"
"You Are Deceivingly Attractive"
"You’re So Charming When You Make An Effort"
"You Look So Professional With Your Hair Straight"
"You’re Really Fast For Your Size"
"You Must Be So Happy To Have Your House Remodeling Done. I Wouldn’t Have Guessed Siding Came In That Color"
"Your Haircut Really Slims Your Face"
Didn't even recognize my co-worker after he shaved off what looked like 5 pounds of beard and sideburns... He looks like ten years younger now...
“The Good Thing About Colleague X Is That You Never Have To Worry About Him Over Thinking It”
"Well, I'm Not Dating You For Your Looks"
"You're So Brave To Wear That"
"I Love How You Don't Care How You Come Across"
"Your Wife Isn’t Half As Lucky As You Are"
"Those Pants Make You Look Far Thinner"
"You've Got Such An Exotic Look"
"The Back Of Your Hand Is So Smooth And Beautiful!"
Read this entire post to find some things to say to my frenemy....
Read this entire post to find some things to say to my frenemy....
