People Who Are Truly Difficult To Be Around Usually Say 9 Phrases In Casual Conversation

Written on Jul 29, 2026

serious woman who is difficult to be aroundMAYA LAB | Shutterstock
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We've all met miserable people who feel impossible to talk with. These people are their own genre of terrible, feeling superior to others and making others suffer for their sense of entitlement.

People who are truly difficult to be around not only take up so much space in the worst ways possible, but the way they speak to others is rude and dismissive.

People who are truly difficult to be around often say these phrases

1. 'That must be nice'

difficult man in conversation rudely saying that must be niceMikhail Nilov | Pexels

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When someone can't contain their jealousy or misery, it shows. They might deflect or even destroy your excitement altogether. They'll invalidate your achievements with a phrase like "must be nice," assuming that you had some kind of help or advantage.

They can't grasp the concept that everyone has control over the direction of their own lives. While everyone does face very specific problems, some have more than others, the people who use them as excuses are the ones who never actually overcome them and achieve anything.

RELATED: 11 Phrases People Say When They're Resentful But Don't Want To Admit It

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2. 'I knew this would happen'

An overconfident person who needs to be right all the time will always say something along the lines of "I knew this would happen." They can't handle being wrong or making mistakes, so they're always deflecting blame and framing themselves as the smartest person in the room.

They're the same kinds of people who never have healthy arguments because they're too worried about being right to resolve anything. They're miserable to be around and they expect everyone to cater to their ego, even when they're clearly wrong.

3. 'It's just a joke'

If you're going to be cruel, at least stand behind what you're saying. The worst kinds of people try to avoid taking accountability for being mean, hiding their cruelty behind excuses like "it's just a joke."

No matter what they say, being mean isn't brutal honesty. It's just someone afraid to speak their mind openly because they know they're being rude.

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These individuals are impossible to be around and even more difficult to be in relationships with because their passive-aggressiveness makes it insanely hard to get anywhere.

RELATED: If Someone Keeps Doing These 5 Little Things, Chances Are They're Extremely Passive-Aggressive

4. 'I can't change, it's just how I am'

Everyone can change, but only when they want to. So, if someone is being cruel or ignorant, and using excuses like "it's just how I am" to justify their behavior, chances are they're not on the right path.

They're trying to make their issues everyone else's problem, and placing blame onto the people they hurt when it's actually all their fault. They have control over their own actions and behaviors, so don't give them the satisfaction of feeding these excuses with passivity.

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5. 'That was a dumb choice'

rude woman saying that was a dumb choice rudelySHVETS production | Pexels

Criticizing other people is how the worst people make themselves feel better. When they can weaponize shame and cruelty, they can bring everyone else down to their level without having to change anything about themselves.

"That was a dumb choice" or "I don't know why you'd do that" don't come from a supportive place. They come from an unstable place that a person who's incredibly insecure builds for fleeting comfort.

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RELATED: 11 Everyday Behaviors That Quietly Reveal Someone Feels Insecure Around You

6. 'What do you want me to say?'

Whether it's a lazy, disengaged partner or an incompetent person, if you hear a phrase like this, you're speaking to someone who has little to no common sense. They refuse to believe that they're in control of their own behaviors and wait for everyone else to tell them what to do or say.

When they don't say the right thing, it's someone else's fault. When they say nothing, that's everyone else's fault, too. They're insufferable to be around because they're like a child, needing guidance and scapegoats constantly.

7. 'Who cares?'

With the tone that you can't shake or overlook, a truly miserable person often says "Who cares?" to invalidate someone's feelings or dull their excitement about something they're jealous of. They can't handle other people being happy or confident, as it only shines a light on their own inner turmoil.

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It's the complete opposite to what they're feeling inside, and because they take no accountability for how they're feeling and what they can change, they expect everyone else to be miserable with them.

RELATED: You Can Usually Tell How Miserable A Person Is By These 10 Things They Talk About Way Too Much

8. 'That's nothing, you should hear…'

When the attention is on someone else, people who are difficult to be around just can't handle it. They need to be the center of attention all the time, even if it means cutting someone else off or finding a way to one-up what they're saying.

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It's exhausting and annoying for everyone else, but for these people, it's second nature. They don't care about what anyone else has to say, unless it benefits or shines a light on them in some way.

9. 'Life isn't fair'

woman who is difficult to be around complaining that life isn't fairPolina Zimmerman | Pexels

The most entitled people believe that fairness is related to deservingness. Most importantly, they believe that when something is unfair, they're a victim that needs attention and saving.

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As the rest of the world seems to know, everything is unfair. It has nothing to do with whether or not someone deserves it. Expecting everyone else to drop what they're doing to comfort them when there's a minor inconvenience is wild and exhausting for the people in their lives.

RELATED: 8 Frustrating Habits Of People Who Feel Entitled To Your Time & Energy

Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.

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