“What Words/Phrases Do You Hear Someone Say And Immediately Know You’re Probably Not Going To Like The Person?” (50 Answers)
We’ve all got pet peeves. Some people will smack anyone who starts chewing with their mouth open, and others might already be on their way home if a date shows up 5 minutes late. But there are also plenty of things people can say to make their potential friendships instantly go up in flames.
Someone recently asked Reddit users to share words and phrases that alert them that they won't like a person, and readers did not hold back. Below, you’ll find a variety of statements that people can't stand, so enjoy learning what not to say upon meeting someone, and be sure to upvote the phrases that you consider to be red flags as well!
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Anything that involves "god's will"
As a Christian (lol considering this article's title), I've always hated the use of that phrase. I do believe in God's will, but it shouldn't be used as a replacement for loving and serving a person, and definitely not as an excuse that a person "got what they deserved". God's will could be many things but it will always involve loving and caring for other human beings (and yourself)
Describes himself as an Alpha Male. Tells you implausible stories about how tough he is/how many women he's "Banged". Yeah, me an you gonna fall out soon buddy
Alpha and beta humans do not exist. It's simply an excuse for some to engage in and justify their toxic behaviors.
Anyone who is rude to waitstaff.
Been on a few dates where potential partners treated the waiter/waitress like garbage.
Instant dislike and termination of the date.
Boys will be boys
I hate this one with a burning passion. Same with 'Boys don't cry'
I too hate both these. Boys are boys only to the degree they are allowed to be. Boys do dumb stuff, girls do too, but boys are given more freedom. My sons learned early on that just because you're a boy doesn't mean you get away with s,h,i,t. They are both in their 30s now and they know they can cry and have cried on my shoulders. It's how boys become decent men.
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I've said this about my son (who's 4), but in the context of eating chalk or something.
Yeah I'll admit as a young girl I tasted playdough and chalk and ate our garden flowers.
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I can’t believe how this is still a thing today. I’ve seen it in my son’s elementary school already. He got into a fight (sort of… no actual punches). Basically, he bear hugged and kicked at another boy who bear hugged and sort of hit his fists off my son’s back. It was a soccer game got out of hand. No one was hurt. His principal was incredibly nonchalant about this with a boys will be boys mentality. To me that was a HUGE thing to have happen. And not characteristic of my kid, not an angry or aggressive kid in the slightest. He got in a ton of trouble at home but just sat out of one recess at school. Thankfully, that seems to have been an isolated incident. The boys we’re playing together the next day, no grudge.
That's literally a "boys will be boys" moment. We are totally capable of physically fighting then getting over it and moving on with no hard feelings. He shouldn't have been fighting, of course. But you described the perfect example of "boys will be boys", they settled their issue and got over it.
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boys will be boys means my 8 year old brother and his friends running around the house with underwear on their heads, NOT boys bullying or sexually harassing a girl!!
I've never heard this in any context other than young boys getting muddy or collecting frogs or roughhousing or other stereotypical little boy things (yes I know girls can be the same, hence my use of "stereotypical"). Someone at some point decided to make it mean something it never meant before.
But that's the whole point. Because it is stereotypical and invalidates every little girl who would do those things too, we have to stop saying it. I know you're talking about it being used to downplay things, but even as the "innocent" phrase, it's devastating. I got dirty, I played with frogs, but since those were defined as "boy things", it meant I was neither boy nor girl because I didn't fit into either schema. I'm not talking about how I defined myself. I was both biologically and identified as a girl, but had no place because through phrases like this, girls who weren't prim and proper and little pink princesses 100% of the time, weren't allowed one. My whole life I've been defined by others by what I am not. Cam we just agree that if a phrase perpetuates stereotypes, we need to stop repeating them. The very nature of stereotypes is that they invalidate.
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Strangely we never hear "Pederasts will be pederasts" or "Embezzlers will be embezzlers" or"Meth dealers will be meth dealers".
Yes, they will be boys, but toxic behavior inexcusable in members of either sex and gender!
Boys will be boys and girls will be girls. I don't get why people are so offended by this phrase. Who cares
I hate this so much, being a boy does not excuse someone of physical violence against theirs friends or anyone else.
Ok. Boys will be boys -when you hyper-extend their knees. Sorry, that's just evening the playing field
Really. If boys will be boys, what assumptions are me making about what boys are supposed to be?
Sometimes when someone mentions a girl/woman doing something wrong, I'll say, "girls will be girls." I don't condone bad behavior, I'm just trying to make people uncomfortable and make them realize how stupid the, "boys will be boys," saying is.
This is just horrible. We don't need to put a status on boys like this
My reply is "and sexists will be sexists" and give them the mom glare. I hear this a lot in mom groups and I don't want my kid hearing it. It's damaging for both boys and girls because it forces one into a box and the other outside of it, neither allowed to just be themselves.
If they’re always given this kind of pass for antisocial behavior, they’ll get the idea in their heads that they can do anything they want, any aberrant behavior they want to indulge in. That introduces a real risk that they will grow up to be incels, misogynists, domestic abusers, rapists, and murders—-and only impressive to other men just like them (oooh, how closeted). Too much testosterone is not a good thing, as it inevitably leads to violent and animalistic behavior.
“People don’t like me because I tell it like it is”
"We're a family here" in a work setting. Mother f****r you just laid off "cousin" Bill.
“Do your own research.” Quickly became the mantra of some of the most misinformed and ignorant people on the planet.
I hope somebody teaches those people about burden of proof fallacy
"Men are logical/analytical, and women are emotional."
That's one of the most inaccurate statements I keep hearing every time I listen to a certain type of people on certain videos/podcasts.
"Ugh I hate cats"
I can't trust someone who says that. People who hate cats, really hate cats. To the point of abuse.
“No offense, but…”, just before saying the most offensive thing you’ve heard in your life.
"It's all a part of god's plan"
“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?” - Epicurus
You should smile more 🙄
I find grinning widely while maintaining intense eye contact and tilting my head sideways generally makes them retract that statement.
"i have no problem with the gays, just keep it away from me"
“I’m so bipolar” to explain why they are indecisive or to play off poor life choices. Or just to say to sound quirky. Really hate that. I’m bipolar and rarely tell anyone.
I'm bipolar and hate this trend. Having a mental illness isn't fun, cute, quirky, or an excuse for bad behavior. You don't want to know what it's really like being bipolar.
Women who say “I only have guy friends” which is usually followed by something like “women always bring drama / women are usually bitches / women can’t handle how real I am / women are always jealous of me.”
ETA: Yeah, it’s great having guy friends, but the problem is women who view other women as the enemy.
"Why isn't there a white history month" I'm not even huge into politics, but this says a lot about someone to me
If a person humiliates others for the sake of boosting his own ego, I immediately stop communicating with that person.
"Sheeple" As soon as I hear it I tune out everything else they have to say
I just assume they're trying to summon an ancient Eldritch species of sheep-people to usher in the Apocalypse. This ends up being more interesting than what they were actually trying to say, and generally more coherent as well.
"oh, that's such typical [star sign] behaviour"
I’m a cancer, we’re supposed to be sensitive (which I am) so it really hurts my feelings when people say that!
I believe in the Bible as historical fact
Woke.
This one gets so annoying to see. And it's always used by freaking bigots
"If you can't handle me at my worst you don't deserve me at my best"
“I just say what everyone else is thinking”. Describing someone as an “alpha” “sigma” “beta”, or calling women “females”
Depends on context: if I say Andrew Tate is an insecure b***h that tries to hide it behind his aLPhA mAlE image is exactly what everyone is thinking. Btw, is he's still in jail? Has he spread his alphaism among his fellow inmates?
“Let’s go Brandon”
On a positive note, there was a new story about a young Autistic boy, named Brandon, who was nervous about his vacation in Texas. Until he saw all the "Let's go Brandon" signs which cheered him on. https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/8-year-old-boy-with-autism-puts-new-spin-on-lets-go-brandon-chants
"Yes but you know there's worst" everytime you have an issue. Denying the pain of someone isn't helping them at all. Yes other have it worst, but at day D, hour H, I want to talk about my feeling and feel heard and seen. I want solutions or I want help or I want someone to b***h about the subject / person which / who is sensitive topic for me. Not thinking about others. That's not being selfish, that's destressing, and if you can't find a solution at least outing bad vibes.
Worse. I thought i was a typo the first time, but then it was repeated.
"My ex was a narcissist". I didn't hear this nearly as often until the last year or so. Now suddenly everyone has had an ex that was a narcissist. I work in the behavioral health field and this one drives me crazy.
Like no, just because you both wanted different things in life doesn't make him selfish enough to be labeled with an actual *personality disorder,* ***oh my god.*** Just say you weren't compatible and move on with your life.
No offense to those who actually did genuinely date a narcissist.
"As a straight, white, cisgender person..."
Ma'am this a Wendy's.
"oh im compelled to do this totally normal activity because my OCD/adhd/bipolar is kicking in!"
people who will insert, “well if trump was still in office…” in every single conversation despite having nothing to do with politics
Got my shirt for x amount, my shoes for y amount type of people. You paid way more than normal people for stuff that's not something to brag about. Also do you really have no innate worth that you have to toss around price tags to attract people's attention.
People who lie/brag about their IQ. In my experience they seem like the dumbest people.
"I'm a -insert star sign- so that's why I'm (being a c**t)"
I'm a Cantaloupe and my ex was an Asparagus so clearly we were not compatible.
I had this new coworker who I didn’t have to work with, but could have made both of our jobs easier. He didn’t even need to say anything. At the first morning meeting he had a Daily Wire coffee mug that said, “this cup is filled with liberal tears.”
Yeah, no thanks dude. I don’t need your help with anything.
Or anyone whose worldview distills every situation into 'them and us'.
"All men are trash"
if men said all women are trash they do be acting like they're abt to start a war on twitter. i dont like it when people say something bad about the opposite gender,with "all"
"I hate drama." I have never heard someone say this, unsolicited, and not been exhausted with their shenanigans within a day.
If a high school student said it referring to one of their classes, that wouldn’t be too bad.
"As an ENFP/ISTJ/JKDSAJKHSDF/other alphabet soup personality test baloney..."
"snowflakes", "woke", or "unbeknownst".
Especially unbeknownst, I hate that word more than is reasonable to acknowledge.
"Tough love" often seems to be used as an excuse to be a d**k. I get it when it's like an intervention, but most times I've personally heard it this was just people who wanted to start s**t.
Note: this post originally had 85 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
Until black lives matter, not all lives matter
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Some of these are legit, but for the most part my opinion is that y'all just don't like people.
Using the size of someone penis as an insult - especially common with women who really don’t like being asked if they’re being such a b-tch cause they’ve a c**t the size of a bucket? (How the tables have turned). Simple rule - don’t attack someone on something they can’t change!
I think that if you're a male and insult a woman first by calling her a b***h or c**t, you deserve to have your penis ridiculed.
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A red flag they forgot is someone who writes in weebspeak, like "*blushes* *gets hot and bothered* *shuffles feet:*" my god it is cringeworthy.
Anyone who starts bragging about their self-defense skills. No, your hands are NOT registered as lethal weapons. Also anyone who brags about having street smarts. That instantly tells me you don't because if you did there would be no need to brag about it.
#1 rule - do what you need to , to get the flack away. (according to my teacher.)
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'I'm not a dog person, keep it away from me' Had this in a park the other day. A park, full of dogs. Hmmm okay.
Dogs are adorable, but I'm a little scared of them, which is why I sometimes say this. Though, after going with one of my friends on some dog walks, I'm getting more comfortable:)
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"Can't you just stop being anxious/depressed/panicked?" or "There's no reason for you to be depressed." Like anyone who suffers from anxiety and depression LIKES being that way. The only thing I've ever heard that's more ridiculous was a co-worker talking to a friend who said "Why don't they try not acting like they were black?"
I'd like to add "Do you want me to be honest...?" NO, no thank you. If you aren't already speaking honestly, I'm going to assume the next thing you say won't go well.
But ikr is really useful, especially in text
Load More Replies... Widely unpopular opinion here: "Doggo" and the like. I cannot STAAAAAAND doggo, hooman, and all the rest of that. It drives me absolutely batshit insane.
Pretty much anything relating to "gender critical" is a quick ignore for me. It's like watching a toddler throw a temper tantrum because mommy didn't let them smoke a cigarette: prevention of harm through ignorance being met with hate and rage. I'm intersex, not whatever binary was forcibly written on my birth certificate, and my gender is not defined by that slip of paper either for that matter.
People who use the phrases crotch goblins/spawn/brat/“Ugh, I just don’t like children”. You are allowed to not be drawn to spending lots of time with kids. You are allowed to not be a parent (in fact please don’t if you don’t want to), you are allowed to not enjoy being in close proximity to children making a lot of high pitched noise. What I don’t understand it why it had become socially acceptable to name call and ostracise a vulnerable minority group of humans. We don’t accept a nasty names for people if different skin colours and cultural backgrounds, we don’t accept down putting and isolation of people with disabilities, we don’t accept people saying “Ugh, I just don’t like old people”, so why should treating kids the same way be acceptable?
“You know what your problem is…”, I wasn’t aware I had a problem other than you. SMH
Keto. Gluten free. Paleo. I uninstalled Pinterest because it's ground zero for those words
Why are we so judgy? Sure, some idiots open their mouths & prove how moronic they are. I for one am grateful. Good to know! Others simply say things that are not my style. They may be good people otherwise. The world would suck if we all thought/spoke the same way. I just don't understand the hate, especially over a word/phrase. I don't hate even the worst of these, just avoid them.
Yes! And normally I'd make an exception about cats, but I just saw the "Kitchen Nightmares" episode about Amy's Baking Company and she says "we have 3 sons who inhabit cat bodies" and "I speak feline- meow meow meow meow." That level is a red flag for me.
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"The intrusive thoughts won!" while referring to, idk, spontaneously dying their hair. Those are impulsive thoughts. Impulsive thoughts are throwing something, dying your hair, binge shopping. Intrusive thoughts are horrific, sickening images and ideas that stay in your head constantly because of mental illness. I have diagnosed OCD. Intrusive thoughts are about hurting others. Hurting yourself. And not just punching someone, like horrible sh*t you'd see in American psycho or happy tree friends. Anything taboo or morally wrong can be constantly on repeat in your mind, like r*pe, p*dophillia, ect. And you can't stop it. Because they are INTRUSIVE. You feel like the most horrible, evil, disgusting person ever. When mine were bad, I was having daily panic attacks, and su*cidal thoughts at age 10/11. And you can't just tell people whats going on, because 1. no one knows what intrusive thoughts or OCD actually is, and 2. You can't describe them without triggering or upsetting people.
Should pronouns people and you misgendered me people be in the list?
Wow, I posted a comment that basically said I don't like these one-sided politically-based bored pandas and my comment got immediate blocked by I suppose a one-sided political censor. Nice work Bored Panda! Great job on keeping an open mind and a place for open discussion! Guess I need to not resist and be assimilated by the snow flakes...oh sorry, snowflakes don't like people that call them snowflakes.
Honey, there's only one person acting like a snowflake here and it's you. I know it's hard but accepting that other people have a different opinion than you is something that comes with being a grownup.
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"could of.." -"would of" ------ maaan, that is "could´ve" what is literally "could HAVE" ----- I don´t like people being that lazy with their own language
"It is what it is" I freaking hate when people say that. It "is what it is" because you are too lazy/scared/disinterested in actually doing something to change the situation for the better.
Yuck..these political Bored Pandas are annoying. So much virtual signalling...so much my side's good...the other side's bad...blah, blah, blah, blah. Most of us are here to take a break from the political warfare and don't really want to hear from yet another close minded, bigoted author who is talking to the rest of those inhabiting their political bubble.
Until black lives matter, not all lives matter
Load More Replies... Some of these are legit, but for the most part my opinion is that y'all just don't like people.
Using the size of someone penis as an insult - especially common with women who really don’t like being asked if they’re being such a b-tch cause they’ve a c**t the size of a bucket? (How the tables have turned). Simple rule - don’t attack someone on something they can’t change!
I think that if you're a male and insult a woman first by calling her a b***h or c**t, you deserve to have your penis ridiculed.
Load More Replies... A red flag they forgot is someone who writes in weebspeak, like "*blushes* *gets hot and bothered* *shuffles feet:*" my god it is cringeworthy.
Anyone who starts bragging about their self-defense skills. No, your hands are NOT registered as lethal weapons. Also anyone who brags about having street smarts. That instantly tells me you don't because if you did there would be no need to brag about it.
#1 rule - do what you need to , to get the flack away. (according to my teacher.)
Load More Replies... 'I'm not a dog person, keep it away from me' Had this in a park the other day. A park, full of dogs. Hmmm okay.
Dogs are adorable, but I'm a little scared of them, which is why I sometimes say this. Though, after going with one of my friends on some dog walks, I'm getting more comfortable:)
Load More Replies... "Can't you just stop being anxious/depressed/panicked?" or "There's no reason for you to be depressed." Like anyone who suffers from anxiety and depression LIKES being that way. The only thing I've ever heard that's more ridiculous was a co-worker talking to a friend who said "Why don't they try not acting like they were black?"
I'd like to add "Do you want me to be honest...?" NO, no thank you. If you aren't already speaking honestly, I'm going to assume the next thing you say won't go well.
But ikr is really useful, especially in text
Load More Replies... Widely unpopular opinion here: "Doggo" and the like. I cannot STAAAAAAND doggo, hooman, and all the rest of that. It drives me absolutely batshit insane.
Pretty much anything relating to "gender critical" is a quick ignore for me. It's like watching a toddler throw a temper tantrum because mommy didn't let them smoke a cigarette: prevention of harm through ignorance being met with hate and rage. I'm intersex, not whatever binary was forcibly written on my birth certificate, and my gender is not defined by that slip of paper either for that matter.
People who use the phrases crotch goblins/spawn/brat/“Ugh, I just don’t like children”. You are allowed to not be drawn to spending lots of time with kids. You are allowed to not be a parent (in fact please don’t if you don’t want to), you are allowed to not enjoy being in close proximity to children making a lot of high pitched noise. What I don’t understand it why it had become socially acceptable to name call and ostracise a vulnerable minority group of humans. We don’t accept a nasty names for people if different skin colours and cultural backgrounds, we don’t accept down putting and isolation of people with disabilities, we don’t accept people saying “Ugh, I just don’t like old people”, so why should treating kids the same way be acceptable?
“You know what your problem is…”, I wasn’t aware I had a problem other than you. SMH
Keto. Gluten free. Paleo. I uninstalled Pinterest because it's ground zero for those words
Why are we so judgy? Sure, some idiots open their mouths & prove how moronic they are. I for one am grateful. Good to know! Others simply say things that are not my style. They may be good people otherwise. The world would suck if we all thought/spoke the same way. I just don't understand the hate, especially over a word/phrase. I don't hate even the worst of these, just avoid them.
Yes! And normally I'd make an exception about cats, but I just saw the "Kitchen Nightmares" episode about Amy's Baking Company and she says "we have 3 sons who inhabit cat bodies" and "I speak feline- meow meow meow meow." That level is a red flag for me.
Load More Replies... "The intrusive thoughts won!" while referring to, idk, spontaneously dying their hair. Those are impulsive thoughts. Impulsive thoughts are throwing something, dying your hair, binge shopping. Intrusive thoughts are horrific, sickening images and ideas that stay in your head constantly because of mental illness. I have diagnosed OCD. Intrusive thoughts are about hurting others. Hurting yourself. And not just punching someone, like horrible sh*t you'd see in American psycho or happy tree friends. Anything taboo or morally wrong can be constantly on repeat in your mind, like r*pe, p*dophillia, ect. And you can't stop it. Because they are INTRUSIVE. You feel like the most horrible, evil, disgusting person ever. When mine were bad, I was having daily panic attacks, and su*cidal thoughts at age 10/11. And you can't just tell people whats going on, because 1. no one knows what intrusive thoughts or OCD actually is, and 2. You can't describe them without triggering or upsetting people.
Should pronouns people and you misgendered me people be in the list?
Wow, I posted a comment that basically said I don't like these one-sided politically-based bored pandas and my comment got immediate blocked by I suppose a one-sided political censor. Nice work Bored Panda! Great job on keeping an open mind and a place for open discussion! Guess I need to not resist and be assimilated by the snow flakes...oh sorry, snowflakes don't like people that call them snowflakes.
Honey, there's only one person acting like a snowflake here and it's you. I know it's hard but accepting that other people have a different opinion than you is something that comes with being a grownup.
Load More Replies... "could of.." -"would of" ------ maaan, that is "could´ve" what is literally "could HAVE" ----- I don´t like people being that lazy with their own language
"It is what it is" I freaking hate when people say that. It "is what it is" because you are too lazy/scared/disinterested in actually doing something to change the situation for the better.
Yuck..these political Bored Pandas are annoying. So much virtual signalling...so much my side's good...the other side's bad...blah, blah, blah, blah. Most of us are here to take a break from the political warfare and don't really want to hear from yet another close minded, bigoted author who is talking to the rest of those inhabiting their political bubble.
