I was at a networking event a few months ago when I watched someone kill a conversation in under thirty seconds.

A woman was talking about a project she’d just finished, something she was clearly proud of. The person next to her listened for maybe ten seconds before jumping in with, “Oh, I did something similar last year, but on a much larger scale.”

Then he proceeded to talk about his project for the next five minutes.

The woman’s face went blank. She smiled politely, nodded at the right moments, and found an excuse to leave as soon as he paused for breath.

He had no idea he’d just shut her down completely. He probably thought he was being helpful. Showing her what’s possible. Sharing his expertise.

But what everyone else saw was someone who couldn’t stand not being the most impressive person in the room.

Arrogance doesn’t always look like loud bragging or obvious condescension. Sometimes it’s subtle. A phrase here, a tone there. Small moves that signal you think you’re above the people you’re talking to.

Here are seven phrases arrogant people use without realizing how they come across.

1. “Oh, I already knew that”

This phrase stops a conversation cold.

Someone shares something they just learned, something they’re excited about. And instead of letting them have that moment, you immediately deflate it by announcing you already knew.

The subtext is clear: what’s new and interesting to you is old news to me.

It doesn’t matter if you did already know. Saying it out loud serves no purpose except to position yourself as more informed, more experienced, or ahead of the curve.

Arrogant people do this constantly. They can’t let someone else be the one sharing information. They need to establish that they’re already there.

What they don’t realize is that it makes them exhausting to talk to. Because no one wants to share anything with someone who’s going to treat every revelation like it’s beneath them.

2. “You should really…”

Unsolicited advice is already annoying. But when it’s phrased as “you should really,” it’s worse.

Because now you’re not just offering advice. You’re implying that the person hasn’t thought things through properly and you have the obvious solution they’ve somehow missed.

“You should really read this book.”

“You should really try this approach.”

“You should really reconsider that decision.”

The word “really” adds weight. It suggests that the right answer is clear and the other person is either uninformed or making a poor choice.

Arrogant people use this phrase a lot because they genuinely believe their way is the right way. And they think they’re helping by sharing their superior knowledge.

But what people hear is judgment. And an assumption that they need to be corrected.

3. “Well, in my experience…”

This phrase isn’t inherently arrogant. Experience is valuable. Sharing it can be helpful.

But arrogant people use it as a trump card. A way to shut down other perspectives by positioning their personal experience as the final word.

Someone will be talking about a challenge they’re facing, and the arrogant person jumps in with, “Well, in my experience, that’s not really how it works.”

The implication is that their experience is more valid, more comprehensive, or more relevant than whatever’s being discussed. And therefore, the conversation should defer to them.

It’s a subtle power move. And it’s incredibly off-putting because it dismisses other people’s realities in favor of your own.

4. “I hate to say I told you so, but…”

No, you don’t hate it. If you hated it, you wouldn’t be saying it.

This phrase is pure arrogance dressed up as reluctance.

Someone shares that something didn’t work out the way they hoped. And instead of offering support or empathy, you remind them that you predicted this outcome.

The message is: I was right, you were wrong, and I want to make sure you know it.

Even if you did warn them. Even if you saw it coming. Saying this in the moment when they’re already dealing with disappointment is cruel.

Arrogant people do it anyway because being right matters more to them than being kind. They need the validation of their superior judgment, even if it means kicking someone when they’re down.

5. “Actually, that’s not quite accurate”

Correcting people is sometimes necessary. But the way you do it matters.

Arrogant people have a compulsive need to correct even minor inaccuracies, and they do it in a way that makes the other person feel stupid.

Someone will mention a detail that’s slightly off, and the arrogant person can’t let it slide. They have to jump in with “Actually, that’s not quite accurate” and then deliver the correct version.

Most of the time, the correction doesn’t even matter. It doesn’t change the point of the story or the substance of the conversation. It’s just a flex.

A way to demonstrate that they know more. That they’re more precise. That they’re paying closer attention.

What they don’t realize is that constant corrections make people nervous. You start watching what you say around them because you know they’re waiting to pounce on any small error.

That’s not the kind of person people want to be around.

6. “I’m just being honest”

This phrase almost never precedes actual honesty. It precedes something rude.

Arrogant people use “I’m just being honest” as a shield. It allows them to say something harsh or dismissive while positioning themselves as brave truth-tellers.

“I’m just being honest, I don’t think you’re ready for that role.”

“I’m just being honest, that idea isn’t very original.”

“I’m just being honest, you could do better.”

The problem isn’t the honesty. It’s the lack of tact, empathy, or consideration for how the words will land.

Arrogant people believe that bluntness is a virtue. That saying exactly what you think, regardless of how it affects someone else, is a sign of integrity.

But honesty without kindness is just cruelty with better PR. And people remember who made them feel small in the name of “keeping it real.”

7. “Let me explain this in simpler terms”

Few phrases are more condescending than this one.

It assumes the other person didn’t understand what you said because they’re not smart enough, not because you weren’t clear.

Arrogant people use this when they sense confusion or disagreement. Instead of considering that their explanation might have been unclear, they assume the problem is the listener’s comprehension.

So they rephrase it “in simpler terms,” as if the person just needs things dumbed down.

What they’re really saying is: you’re not keeping up, so I’m going to slow down and speak to you like a child.

It’s insulting. And it’s one of the fastest ways to shut someone down in a conversation.

People stop asking questions. They stop engaging. Because they know they’ll be treated like they’re intellectually inferior.

What’s really happening underneath

Arrogance isn’t usually about confidence. It’s about insecurity masked as superiority.

People who constantly need to position themselves as smarter, more experienced, or more right are often compensating for a fear that they’re not enough.

So they assert dominance in conversations. They correct. They one-up. They make sure everyone knows they’re the authority.

But what they don’t realize is that true confidence doesn’t need to announce itself. It’s quiet. It listens. It makes space for other people without feeling threatened.

When you’re secure in who you are, you don’t need to prove it every time you open your mouth.

What people actually respond to

I’ve noticed that the people who make the best impressions in conversations are rarely the most impressive people in the room.

They’re the ones who ask good questions. Who listen without interrupting. Who celebrate other people’s insights instead of competing with them.

They don’t need to be the smartest person at the table because they’re not measuring their worth by how much they know compared to everyone else.

That’s the difference. Arrogant people see every conversation as a competition. A chance to establish their superiority.

Confident people see conversations as exchanges. Opportunities to learn, connect, and understand.

If you’ve used these phrases

Look, we’ve all had moments where we’ve said something that came across as arrogant.

Maybe you were nervous and overcompensated. Maybe you genuinely thought you were being helpful. Maybe you just didn’t realize how it sounded.

The question isn’t whether you’ve ever used these phrases. It’s whether you use them often. And whether you’ve noticed people pulling away from you in conversations.

If people stop sharing things with you, if they seem guarded or disengaged, if conversations feel one-sided with you doing most of the talking, those are signs.

The good news is that this is fixable.

Start by listening more than you speak. Resist the urge to correct, advise, or one-up. Let other people have their moments without needing to insert yourself into them.

And when you do speak, ask yourself: is what I’m about to say going to make this person feel better or worse? Is it necessary? Is it kind?

Those questions will save you from most of these phrases.

Because the truth is, people don’t remember the smartest thing you said or the most impressive credential you dropped. They remember how you made them feel.

And if you made them feel small, they’re not coming back.