Some people try really hard to sound intelligent, but instead of coming across as genuinely knowledgeable, they end up revealing that they’re just pretending. We asked people to share the phrases they’ve noticed most from those who fake being smart, and certain patterns came up over and over. Here are 11 things people who pretend to be smart often say and what they usually mean.
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“Let me simplify it for you”
People who are pretending to be smart often use this line to make themselves seem like the authority in the conversation. It comes across as if they fully understand a complex topic and the other party doesn’t, but when they do start explaining, it’s usually vague or filled with buzzwords.
“There’s a psychological reason for that”
People who act like they’re more intelligent than they are often tend to use words like psychological or scientific. It’s a way of throwing out terms that make them sound like they know something, but when pressed, they usually have nothing concrete to go by.
“I’ve always been into [something super complex]”
Quantum physics? Existentialist philosophy? Byzantine history? It doesn’t matter what it is, but when someone says they’ve “always been into it,” they’re not being entirely truthful. People say that as soon as the conversation goes beyond the most basic level, these people have little to no things to talk about.
“Well, actually…”
This one’s a no-brainer. Many people said they notice that people trying to come off as smart will correct others all the time, over the smallest, most irrelevant things. It’s less about being helpful and more about feeling better than others.
“It’s complicated–you wouldn’t understand”
This is a big red flag. People who feign being smart will often use this as a way to not actually explain things. Instead of just being clear about a situation, they’ll act as if it’s some sort of secret, or that it’s too complex for anyone to understand.
“I read a study that said…”
These people will mention studies or research all the time. But they’ll never reveal the name of the study, or where it was published, or what the research actually found. It’s a ploy to make it sound like they know more than they do. But when further questioned, their explanation usually falls apart.
“Everyone knows that…”
People use this line to shut others down from questioning their point. Some people we talked to said that people often use this as a way to mask that what they’re saying doesn’t actually make any sense at all. But when they use this phrase, what they’re saying seems like a “fact,” and others are afraid to call it into question.
“To play devil’s advocate…”
Some people use this phrase in conversations to try and sound deep or intellectual. The problem is that they’re often not actually playing devil’s advocate. They’re just pushing their opinion. It can make the conversation feel less about hearing each other out and more about one-upping each other.
“It’s just common sense”
This one gets used a lot as a way to stop people from voicing their opinions on a topic. Ironically, those people who use it most are often the worst at actually explaining why something is or is not common sense if you ask them.
“Statistically speaking…”
This is another phrase people use that’s really just a ploy to make their opinion sound like a fact that can’t be argued with. But no actual statistics are coming. Many people we talked to claimed that if someone throws out random statistics in a conversation, it’s probably best to question their source and validity.
“I’ve been saying this for years”
Many people use this to claim credit for an idea or prediction, even if they only recently heard about it. It makes them seem ahead of the curve while subtly dismissing everyone else as late to the conversation.
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