Have you ever met someone and instantly felt a sneaky suspicion that they’re just not a good person?

It’s tricky to pinpoint exactly what makes you feel this way, but your gut is screaming at you to steer clear of this man. 

At the same time, you don’t want to judge someone based solely on a hunch, right?

Here’s the scoop: You don’t have to rely only on your gut feeling. 

There’s a simple way to tell if a guy might not be the best person; listen to what he says. 

If he uses any of the phrases we’re about to share, it could be a sign that he simply isn’t a good person.

Ready to dive in and find out which phrases to watch out for? Let’s go!

1) “I’m just being honest”

Have you ever been on the receiving end of a nasty comment, and then the guy tops it off with, “I’m just being honest”? 

It’s not very nice, is it?

Maybe he’s commenting on how you look, or perhaps he’s criticizing something you’ve done. 

Some men think that ‘being honest’ makes it okay to be rude and hurtful. Of course, it doesn’t.

Using this phrase often shows that a guy lacks empathy.

He doesn’t try to see things from other people’s perspectives and doesn’t seem to care about how his words affect others.

When a guy shows no empathy, it’s a big red flag. 

It tells you he’s not really a good person because he doesn’t consider other people’s feelings very much.

2) “Boys will be boys”

This phrase might have been more commonly accepted in the past, but not anymore.

“Boys will be boys” has become synonymous with excusing or downplaying inappropriate behavior by men.

Professor of Education Foundations, Policy, and Practice, Elizabeth J. Meyer, Ph.D., notes that the expression “boys will be boys” attempts to explain away aggressive behaviors (…) without examining other reasons for the aggression.

Using this phrase also dismisses the importance of respect and responsibility, which are more important than ever. 

When a guy says “Boys will be boys,” he’s telling you that he doesn’t care about respect and accountability, highlighting he simply isn’t a good person. 

3) “That’s just the way I am”

Have you ever heard someone say, “That’s just the way I am,” to explain why they act a certain way? 

This might sound like a small excuse, but it actually tells you a lot about that person.

I once knew a guy who would say this during arguments. At first, I thought he was just trying to defend himself. 

But really, it was a big warning sign. 

He wasn’t interested in changing or getting better. Psychologist Carol Dweck calls this a fixed mindset. 

It means a person believes they can’t change their qualities, unlike a growth mindset, where people think they can improve with effort.

When someone says, “That’s just the way I am,” it usually means they don’t want to learn from their mistakes or try to be better. 

The thing is: we all make mistakes, but not being open to improving is a telltale sign of someone who just isn’t a good person.

4) “All of my exes are crazy”

There’s so much wrong with this phrase that it’s hard to know where to start. 

First off, if a guy claims that all of his exes are crazy, that’s a huge generalization. 

He’s not providing any context, and none of those women are there to share their side of the story. It hardly seems fair, does it?

But there’s more to it: when he says something like this, he’s also showing that he doesn’t take responsibility for his own actions in relationships. 

Instead, he prefers to blame others.

This is a big red flag because it suggests he might do the same to you in the future.

This kind of statement can also hint that he lacks respect for women. 

Labeling all his ex-partners as “crazy” is dismissive and shows an inability to deal with conflicts or relationship challenges maturely.

When a guy uses this phrase, it reveals more about his character flaws than about any of his past relationships.

If you hear a guy say this, run!

5) “It was just a joke, relax”

We all enjoy a good laugh and joke every now and then, right?

Studies even show laughter can help us bond with others, and make us feel less stressed and more connected. 

But what happens when a joke doesn’t land well? The best move is to admit the mistake and say sorry.

Sadly, not everyone gets this. Some men, instead of saying sorry, might say, “It was just a joke, relax”.

You can learn a lot about someone from how they handle a joke gone wrong. 

People who really understand others’ feelings won’t brush off the hurt with excuses.

They know their words have power, even if they don’t mean to upset anyone.

If you’re trying to figure out whether or not someone is a good person, listen out for this phrase, it tells you a lot about a person’s character. 

6) “No offense, but…”

Let’s be honest, we’ve probably all used this phrase at one time or another, right? 

It’s not such a big deal if you hear this phrase from a man, once in a while. But if it’s his go-to phrase, something’s up. 

Saying “no offense, but..” is like saying I know you’re not going to like what I have to say but I don’t care so I’m going to say it anyway.”

Here’s the kicker: when a man is constantly using this phrase, it shows that he’s totally okay with rubbing people up the wrong way and hurting their feelings. 

When you hear a guy saying this, you instantly know that he lacks empathy, social intelligence, and consideration for others’ feelings. 

I don’t know about you but that doesn’t scream “he’s a really good person” to me.

7) “I know best, I don’t care what anyone else thinks”

A bit of confidence is good, but there’s a limit. 

If a man always says he knows better than everyone else, this could be a warning sign of narcissism.. 

Melinda Smith M.A., a psychology writer, says narcissism is about having an “unrealistic sense of superiority. Narcissists think they are unique or ‘special’ and only certain people can understand them.”

This reminds me of Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) from The Big Bang Theory, he constantly thought he was better than everyone.

Do you know a real-life Sheldon? 

Very narcissistic people aren’t usually good to those around them. They focus on getting what they want, no matter who gets hurt along the way.

When a guy constantly think he knows better than everyone, it’s a warning sign.

Final thoughts

It’s important to remember, no one is perfect so if you’ve heard a few of these phrases in passing, it’s probably not a big deal. 

But if you recognize them because someone says them a lot, that’s a different story. 

Listening to how someone talks can tell you a lot about their true nature. Trust your gut and choose your company wisely.