It’s incredibly annoying to deal with people who think they know everything. However, when you can put them in their place, there’s nothing better. Here are some things you can say to make a smart aleck think twice about being a know-it-all around you.
1. “You really seem to know about this, huh?”
Saying this with a hint of sarcasm will put the arrogant person in their place, Scientific American suggests. They’ll be taken aback and might think twice about interrupting you next time.
2. “Thanks for your input. As I was saying…”
You can shut the smart aleck down quickly by saying this, especially since you keep right on talking instead of stopping to hear them out. This works especially well if they interrupt while trying to be the center of attention.
3. “When did you get a degree in this?”
Sometimes the best way to shut down an arrogant person is to question their intelligence. When they try to act like an expert in something, ask them when they became an expert in that thing. They’ll probably be offended, but that’s ok because they were the ones being rude in the first place.
4. “At least I’m humble about it.”
When someone starts to act arrogant, you can respond by saying, “At least I’m humble about my knowledge.” Doing so will put the smart aleck on the back foot and make them think twice about interrupting. It might be a bit of a snarky response, but it gets the job done.
5. “I appreciate your update, but I’ve got this.”
This is a great comeback for when you’re dealing with someone who loves trying to give unsolicited advice and won’t take the hint that you’re not interested. It’s somewhat polite but lets them know that they need to stop.
6. “That sounds vague. Can you explain it better?”
A lot of the time, smart alecks will step in to say vague things that make them seem smart, but they don’t actually have anything more than surface-level knowledge. Asking them questions they can’t answer will make them look unintelligent and make them think twice about interrupting you again.
7. “You don’t need to be this way, you know.”
If you’ve been repeatedly lectured by a smart aleck, a good way to turn the tables on them is to tell them they don’t need to be like this. Arrogant people interrupt because they want to be smart, and they want people to like them. By saying they don’t need to be the way they are, you’re sending a very clear message that you don’t like what they’re doing, and it could shut them down.
8. “I didn’t realize I needed a lecture on this.”
This is a sassy comment that could get people around you to laugh. It puts the smart aleck at the forefront in a way they won’t enjoy.
9. “Ok then.”
Smart alecks want you to praise them for their knowledge, so giving them none of that will frustrate them. Giving them a very short response ends the conversation and makes them look like a jerk.
10. “I didn’t know I needed condescension today, so thanks.”
You might be noticing a theme that sass is a good way to shut down arrogant people. Here, you’ll use sarcasm to make a smart aleck look like a jerk in a group of people. It’s a little funny, but it’s a pointed response to someone who wants to be the center of attention.
11. “I don’t think that’s right.”
Sometimes it’s enjoyable to have a little bit of fun with a smart aleck. You can challenge their intelligence if they say something you know to be wrong. These people are rarely called out for what they say, so they won’t be prepared to back up what they’ve said. They’ll be caught off guard and regret commenting because everyone will be looking at them like they’re an idiot.
12. “Oh, really?”
This is a great response because you can make it sarcastic or not. You can adjust how you say it depending on the message you want to convey. It can also help to check your phone or exhale loudly while saying this to drive home the point that you’re checked out of the conversation.
13. “I don’t remember asking for your opinion.”
If you’ve shared an opinion and someone’s obviously trying to jump in to make a counterargument, saying this can shut them down. It shows that you’re frustrated, and you don’t care about their opinion on this subject.
14. “Are you Google?”
Here’s another sassy response you can use against a smart aleck that loves to be the center of attention. It’ll make the people around you laugh and make the person jumping in feel insecure. It’s not normally ok to gang up on someone, but when someone’s acting narcissistic, it’s sometimes necessary.
15. “Your ego must have its own gravitational pull.”
Poking fun at the arrogant person is always a good move if they’re trying to stand out. Point out their massive ego so they realize that you don’t care what they have to say, and they should get the message.
16. “Are you done?”
This is an excellent response if the person won’t stop talking. If they keep trying to tell you things they think you want to know, this will tell them that you aren’t going to give them the time of day anymore, so it’s pointless for them to continue.
17. “I wasn’t talking to you.”
Arrogant people want to be the center of attention, which is why they try to show off their intelligence. When you say that you weren’t talking to them, it emphasizes that they aren’t the center of the conversation. In fact, they aren’t even part of the conversation or the group. It should put them on the back foot and make them think twice about talking in a condescending manner going forward.
