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There’s a silent universal nod for what things people commonly find irritating. Like, when someone’s loudly gobbling a mouthful, or picking their teeth with bare hands (worse, braces!), or when a person in front of you is biting their nails like they were some salty caramel popcorn. Apologies for ruining whatever it is that you were eating.

But people are so much more complex than that. You see, among the universally annoying and “no, we won’t be friends after that” list stands a bunch of very subtle little things that for many mortal ones, like you and me, don’t even raise an eyebrow, but for others, provoke a full-on breakdown.

So let’s dive deep into the sea of stuff people find annoying, although often totally irrational.

#1

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them When the TV show you're watching goes to an ad and the volume goes from reasonable to incredibly loud without having changed the volume.

valiqs , Robert Couse-Baker Report

#2

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them Having to watch movies with your thumb on the volume buttons on the remote - have to turn it up to hear talking, then its immediately too loud for action sequences and wakes up the kids. Movie night ends before it even starts.

Same applies to TV shows when the commercials are louder than the show you're watching.

zeeker1985 , JESHOOTS.com Report

#3

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them People who step closer to you when you step away from them. You were violating my personal space, and I’m trying to fix that. Come on.

unknown , Naoharu Report

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Damira Balent
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's why elbows exist. I allways pop it to back when I stand in line somewhere. It helps 😄

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#4

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them Chargers/adapters that take up more than one power slot

rustyas , zitcream Report

#5

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them Drivers who overtake you on the road, and then slow down once they're in front of you.

WhyYouYelling , Simon_sees Report

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James016
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What is worse is when you want to change lane, there is a big enough gap, you indicate and the driver behind steps on it to close the gap.

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#6

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them People that pee on the seat and don't wipe their f**king piss off the seat

fender0044 Report

#7

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them A sleeve that rolls down your arm when washing your hands/doing dishes.

unknown , Andy Rennie Report

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tomruns12
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I could staple the sleeve to my arm and it would still fall down.

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#8

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them unrecognized item in bagging area

makenzie71 Report

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#9

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them misuse of their, there and they're

aaaLVeee , teachingadults Report

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River Webb
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

the people who do this really need to work on there spelling and grammar😒

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#10

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them When People don't say please and thank you. Probably one of my biggest pet peeves. Just shows how little they think about others.

pakyak1 , Tristan Kenney Report

#11

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them Chewing with your mouth open

setwilli , jenny oh. Report

#12

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them People who don't signal when they're switching lanes. Are you really that lazy?

PerkedNip , Todor Bozhinov Report

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Eithne Griffiths
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Stopped at a light and told the person that their indicators are not working. When they said they were I said "well f753ing use them.

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#13

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them People who walk side by side slow as s**t down the aisle in the store. They’re juuuust far enough apart that you can’t squeeze by them, and at least around my parts, when you say excuse me they just ignore you.

MountainCourage1304 , Northwest Retail Report

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Roland
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well. Yes. But I am an asshole when it goes to shopping. I move their cart simply away. And an excuse me just one second before crash. I figured people don't learn from nice. They learn from bad experiences

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#15

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them People who spit on the ground for no apparent reason. There’s a guy at work who consistently does this and every time I see a spit stain on the ground I automatically know where it comes from.

_Kal-El , Polina Zimmerman Report

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JennyLaRue
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've never understood the need to spit. Sure if you've got a cold and you do it discreetly, but just walking around in normal life, I've just never thought 'oh no, I've got too much saliva, best gob it onto the ground right now'

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#16

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them Open floor plan offices. I need some peace and quiet when I work. Plus Dave slurping his coffee.

Spants23 , Cadeau Maestro Report

#17

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them My husband watching his phone during a show and asking me what happened constantly. If you want to know, put your damn phone down!

midnight_margherita , Monstera Report

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Brian Bennett
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

MY hubby wants to converse when I'm watching something. I usually play deaf and he goes away.

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#18

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them This just happened to me. When people respond to your email and spell your name wrong, despite the fact that both my email and the contact associated with my email both have my name spelled correctly, not to mention I signed my name at the end of the email.

I responded by thanking him and misspelling his name.

SleepingWillows , Robert Report

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Vasana Phong
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Had my new soon to supervisor email me to ask me what’s my email address again?

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#20

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them When people always try to one up you In a conversation.

sirferrell , akuppa Report

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Lauren Caswell
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not as bad as people who try to two up you. Once I met superman and I three upped him he was very sad. I am humble. Only smart people will get this. I think that's enough now before y'all throw tomatoes at me ^-^

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#21

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them Delayed subtitles

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Vicky Z
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Also annoying is the subtitles for deaf people! I don't know in other countries but in my country they usually have mistakes, cutting important staff and making only a summary of what it is said! That is so disrespectful for people with hearing problems!

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#22

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them Really subtle buzzing from lights in classrooms and gymnasiums. I swear to god that s**t is so annoying I’d rather learn in the dark.

Jmanfro , kalhh Report

#23

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them When your pant pocket/earbud wire gets caught on the doorknob and pulls u back

ILikeYou72 , YBrammer Report

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J Adams
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Try having it happen with the tubing from an insulin pump!....That huuuuuuuurrttts!!!

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#24

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them Whenever I touch something that feels greasy or oily. Like a utensil, doorknob, or even a tube of tooth paste. Makes me cringe. Wash your nasty ass hands.

ThePotatoesWereFine , Tom Ray Report

#25

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them When people take their phone calls right next to you. My coworker is doing it right now on our lunch break as i write this.

Extra sh*tty points if they use the speaker phone option forcing you to be part of their conversation.

eatmyassmnbvcxz , Chris Bloom Report

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Jack Evans
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If they use the speaker, I assume it’s because they want me to join in. And I do.

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#26

Forgetting that 1 thing from going shopping

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Susan Green
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh always. You come home with a ton of stuff you didn’t really need though.

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#27

The noise dogs make when they lick themselves

IndefinableMustache Report

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Roland
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Also cats doing it.. But my cat stops immediately when I make slurping sound during he is licking 🤣🤣🤣and stares at me in confusion

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#28

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them Pessimism at work. None of us wanna be here. Shut up and do your work so we can go home.

middaymovies , herval Report

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Daria B
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It really depends how you define pessimism. If it's the good old sarcastic jokes, they help you cope with this situation you don't want to be in. Also, when there's a problem, it needs to be addressed. I dislike constant meaningless complaints too, but the "just shut up and work" is a bit of an unhealthy and kinda dangerous attitude. Meanwhile, forced optimism is annoying too. It feels insensitive.

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#29

when you're listening to music and people keep trying to talk to you. If I have both my ear pieces in, I don't want to f**king talk to you.

unknown Report

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JennyLaRue
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was once on a long-haul flight and had briefly chatted to the girl a few seats away as it turned out we were going to the same place. Every time I turned around it seemed she was talking at me, but I had my headphones on, so had missed it all.

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#30

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them When you're trying to tell something to someone or a group of people and something interrupts you, then you forget what you meant to say

anelboy6 , William Fortunato Report

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Katie Fink
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And then they say, "if it was important, you'll remember it". Like b!tch! What I have to say is just as important as what you interrupted to say! Unless it was an emergency in which case let's go deal

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#31

When people say "I seen..." instead of "I saw..."

Hearing someone chew.

CarterLawler Report

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Bowtechie
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's one thing when people use improper grammar while speaking or informal communication like texting- I don't mind it, it's usually cultural - but I can't abide it in formal or professional writing/correspondence. There was an article a while back in the US about a group of college students trying to get their professor fired on the grounds that he was racist for correcting and knocking off points for improper grammar in their papers. It still gets me to this day, because you know what the real kicker was? THEY WERE JOURNALISM MAJORS.

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#32

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them When people eat and they bite down on the fork as they drag it out of their mouths sends shivers down my spine. It’s hard to hear but once you notice a person has the habit of doing this, sharing meals become excruciating

Shuraa , SeRVe Photography Report

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Francis
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

thanks.. now i will focus on this while eating with my partner or friends... :(

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#33

Never getting the USB cable plugged in correctly on the first two tries.

WhyYouYelling Report

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Monday
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

and next time you go to plug it in you flip it around, look carefully and then proceed to plug it in the correct way....only for you to STILL do it wrong.

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#34

When someone’s headlights are like high beams...

unknown Report

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Robert T
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd dearly like to outlaw LED and HID headlights. I drive a low car and it's like having the sun staring you in the face - either in front or reflected in all three mirrors from behind. They are supposed to be self levelling, but this never seems to work and they just blind the sh*t out other road users.

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#35

Dropping something a second or third time.

bsack420 Report

#36

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them Being able to hear someone’s TV muffled through the wall. It drives me MENTAL.

Halexander_Amilton , Chris Report

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Tim Pillinger
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

IMO this is a problem with housebuilder. My 1950s council house is almost completely soundproof. That or the neighbours children are freakishly calm indoors compared to outdoors.

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#37

The last specific thing I remember getting real pissed about was ghost flights.

At the beginning of the pandemic, flights were running without passengers because if they just stayed on the ground they would lose government subsidies. So they flew around without any passengers wasting insane amounts of jet fuel for government benefits.

F**king insanity...

Heterodocs Report

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WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You have to ask yourself who is the insane party here, the government or the airline? If you could get $15 million by spending $ 500 000 on kerosine you would burn that kerosine too.

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#38

I could care less

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Monday
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

in the words of the wise Weird Al: That means you do care at least a little.

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#39

Improper grammar. Mainly from the kids who sat through English class complaining that they “speak the language so there is no need to study it”.

This was also before social media so it wasn’t noticed as much. But once Facebook hit... the horror.

nels5104 Report

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Vorknkx
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But when you try to correct someone, you get ridiculed for being a "Grammar Nazi."

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#40

50 Specific Little Things That Are So Irritating, People Can’t Stand Them During May, I had 3 guys hit on me hard through the online games. They know nothing about my personality, didn't bother to ask, but just kept wanting pictures and personal information and trying to insert themselves into whatever I'm doing.

One of them would not stop pushing his sexuality onto me until I blocked him. The other two treat me like a little fragile girl in need of rescuing. Dudes, I'm fine! Stop! It's such a waste of time and I'm practising being less polite and passive about it.

gibcyndaquilpls , Chrystiam Andrade Report

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AzKhaleesi
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hate this too. I play a poker game on my VR and omg, dudes will come out of nowhere and try to talk to you. If you wanna talk like a normal human, cool. But please don't flirt and be stupid, I'm not there for a cyber date. I'm there to take your money lol (fake money not played for real money)

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#41

People who go 10 under the speed limit in the fast lane. Seriously move over

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James016
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the UK technically there is no fast lane, it is the lane and one or two overtaking lanes, everyone is meant to drive in the left lane and only use the others for overtaking only. But it doesn't work like that in practise

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#42

When I’m stretched out to my max capacity to reach an item and it’s still JUST out of reach

madalyng Report

#43

When an old lady comes on the bus, nobody offers their seat. I will give up my seat when she comes near me but I'm not going to yell across the bus to get her attention.

Young people (16 year olds) who stand near the entrance of the bus to the point where I have to force my way through to get off the bus. Somehow their idiot faces tell me they still don't think they are in the way.

unknown Report

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Ren Karlej
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I gave up my seat for someone with crutches once when I had a broken arm. Scores of healthy-looking people, surely one of them must have been in a better condition than me. I nabbed it back when the person with crutches got off at another stop and someone new getting on glared at me. FFS - I'm INJURED and was on the flipping bus first.

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#44

Sound of lips smacking while eating. I hate it. Even if they're quiet, I still just want to explode.

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#45

When someone mumbles. I'll ask them three or four times what they said and they still mumble. I get so mad

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Helena Houzarová
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is one of the things that can make people more irritable as they grow old. They lose hearing gradually, so more and more people "mumble" (while they just talk normally) but because the change is slow and gradual, they don't think it's a hearing loss.

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#46

When people try to win arguments by being louder and dumber. It really makes me want to punch the person. Like if you don't have a valid claim, shut up

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WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience. Mark Twain.

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#47

Hearing someone’s music through their earbuds.

Like first of all, I don’t want to hear your music. But because it’s through your earbuds, all I can hear is the beat of the s****y rap song that sounds exactly the same as the previous one.

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#48

wet sock

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#49

Traffic lights that are green on streets with no cars or pedestrians crossing while the other two streets are filling up with cars waiting on a pointless red light.

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Marianne
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Busy intersections should have intelligent redlights that change according to traffic.

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#50

Professors/teachers who keeps the cursor on videos they show.

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Donkey boi
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

On my media player the cursor becomes a pointing finger. Some times when my wife leaves it on the screen, I'll start to subtly 'Picking noses' of the actors with it.

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