You know that one person who comes into the room as if they were the ones to invent oxygen? Yeah, the one who behaves like you are merely privileged to breathe the same air as them. They do not necessarily tell you so, but their traits scream: “I think I’m way better than you.” Here are 17 signs that you’re dealing with a walking superiority complex. Warning: You may know a frenemy (or two) on this list.
They Correct Your Grammar Mid-Sentence
Nothing screams “I’m superior to you” louder than a person interrupting you to tell you to correct your grammar. You’re telling a story about your weekend, and oops, it’s now, “It’s whom, not who.” Thanks, Willie Shakespeare, but nobody asked you to tutor me in English.
They Talk Over You… Every. Single. Time.
You begin with an idea, and you can barely get halfway through before they knock you over with their “better” perspective. They’re not cutting you off – they’re ensuring that their voice is heard, louder, and always last. Newsflash: dominating conversations does not make you smarter; it makes you insufferable.
They Pretend Not to Hear You
You tell them something, they turn their head, take a sip of their coffee, and pretend you never said anything – then repeat your same line five minutes later as if they had thought of it themselves. Classic move. They’re not hard of hearing; they just didn’t think you were worth listening to… until they could plagiarize it back and use it as their own.
They Judge Your Choices Like They’re Sitting on a Throne
No matter if it’s your job, your closet, or your takeout dinner, they always have some knock to make at your expense. “You’re still renting?” “You’re still eating that?” “You’re still watching reality TV?” Congratulations, you’ve met somebody who believes that superiority is constructed on demeaning others rather than, you know, actually being a good person.
They Always One-Up Your Story
You mention getting a new job? They got a promotion and a corner office. You’re describing a weekend escape? They’re back from Bali. Their existence is somehow always greater, better, shinier. And know this: this isn’t boasting – it’s making sure you’ll never feel as if you’ve done enough.
They Brag About Being “Too Busy”
“Oh, sorry, really can’t squeeze that in, I’ve just come under a wave of last-minute work.” Which translates to: “I believe my schedule is higher on the value scale than your existence.” People who roll their busyness as a personality type are not necessarily more efficient – they’re just hooked on making everyone else feel like secondary.
They Roll Their Eyes Without Saying a Word
Eye-rolls are really the unspoken language of condescension. It’s their “You’re so far beneath me that I don’t even have time to waste a breath on this.” When someone is disrespecting your idea like that, trust me — that ain’t “quirky sass,” that’s outright contempt.
They Use “Advice” as a Tool
“Here’s what you should do…” and then go on to deliver an entire lecture about how you should be living your life. If they’re playing CEO of Your Choices Inc., it’s because they think they’re smarter and wiser and probably destined to rescue you from yourself.
They Name-Drop Like It’s a Full-Time Job
“Oh, when I had brunch with Sarah – she’s a VP at insert company name you don’t care about…” If they can’t get through five minutes without running their mouth endlessly, gossiping about their big-shot friends or big-shot networking acquaintances, that isn’t networking—it’s peacocking.
They Act Bored When You Talk
The moment you utter a word, immediately they’re scrolling, yawning, or looking around for someone “more interesting.” How absurd is it that the moment it’s their turn, they demand the room to shut down and fawn over every word that comes out of their mouth? If they can’t even spare 30 seconds of their time for you, then they don’t think you’re worth it – end of story.
They Correct Your Pronunciation in Public
Nothing yells “I think I’m better than you” more loudly than someone correcting you at lunch loudly on how to pronounce “quinoa.” It’s not accuracy, it’s humiliation. They must make sure everyone is aware of who the sophisticated person is – and it’s not you (in their eyes).
They Speak in a Tone That Drips Condescension
Ever had somebody go “Ohhh, good for you!” or “Must be nice!” that sickeningly sweet tone that makes you feel like you just learnt tying your shoes properly? Yeah, that is the dead giveaway. They’re amused, not impressed. And not in a fun way.
They Never Apologize, Ever
Even when they’re clearly wrong, they’ll turn it around so you’re the one who made the mistake. They won’t apologize because apologies are not part of their language. And if someone treats apologizing like admitting defeat, what they really mean is: “I’ll never consider you equal enough to be apologized to.”
They Ignore Your Opinions Entirely
When someone constantly steamrolls your ideas like they weren’t even spoken, guess what? They think yours don’t matter. They’re the main character in every conversation; you’re just an unpaid extra. If their favorite word is “Anyway…” – run.
They Show Off “Exclusive” Taste
Music, wine, coffee, books — whatever, your taste is always “basic,” and theirs is “refined.” You prefer Starbucks? They only drink single-origin beans that were hand-picked on a mountain. You’re listening to pop music? They only get swayed by vinyl records from hipster bands. Spoiler: nobody cares, Chad.
They Treat Helping You Like Charity
When they do something good, it’s never for kindness. It’s, “I suppose I can do this for you because evidently, you cannot do it for yourself.” They make a fuss about favors as evidence of how much better they are than you. Genuine friends help. Greater-than-you types help just enough to rub it on your face.
They Laugh at Your Dreams
You share something, a dream, a thought, something you hold dear – and all you get is a smirk, a snicker, or worse, a “That’s cute.” That laughter is not humorous; it’s condescension in the guise of humor.
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