20 Backhanded Compliments That Perfected the Art of Being Passive Aggressive

Featured 01/01/2023 in ouch

Some people just have a knack for twisting words in the right way to make you feel like an absolute piece of shit.

Thanks to AskReddit, we've collected some of the most savage and perfectly-formed passive aggressive compliments to watch out for.

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1. Using the word "actually" in a "compliment."

"you're actually smart."

"you're actually pretty."

"you're actually not that bad." -deleted
2. "I wish I was brave enough to wear that." -BrownBearBacon
3. "Bless your heart." -maclaglen
4. Pretty much anything a British person says to you, mate. -Nurgus
5. "You look so good in the pictures." -deleted
6. “I love that for you." -anonoptomous
7. "I hope you have the day that you deserve." -CaptainFeather
8. I don't like it when people tell me "Good for you." They never really mean "Good for you." -Pour_me_one_more
9. I tell people “You’re a man amongst kings.” Usually takes them a second to realize what I said. -ethan_prime
10. "I love the way you don't care what anyone thinks about you..." -RoryPaddy
11. My MIL once said to me “I love how you just play with your kids and don’t worry at all about cleaning your house!” -Happygobecky
12. "You look so good...for a mom!" I've only had one person say that to me, but conditional compliments like that are never very flattering. -smugmisswoodhouse
13. "YOU'RE reading!?" -G0Huskies
14. "You're really pretty for a _____". You can fill in the blank yourself with many different words. -CreepyAssociation173
15. "How are you still single? you're a really nice guy?" -Redt_Wolf
16. "You're smarter than you look." -zoqfotpik
17. "You'd make a great politician." -malfiehenpox
18. “You’re too pretty to be working here.” Said to me when I was working in a grocery store by a man. -sfmxkitty
19. Anything not committal, like “that’s really something,” or “I’m speechless.” -dream_monkey
20. When someone sounds extremely surprised and says that your spouse is really good looking. -Special-Barnacle6030

1. Using the word "actually" in a "compliment."

"you're actually smart."

"you're actually pretty."

"you're actually not that bad." -deleted
2. "I wish I was brave enough to wear that." -BrownBearBacon
3. "Bless your heart." -maclaglen
4. Pretty much anything a British person says to you, mate. -Nurgus
5. "You look so good in the pictures." -deleted
6. “I love that for you." -anonoptomous
7. "I hope you have the day that you deserve." -CaptainFeather
8. I don't like it when people tell me "Good for you." They never really mean "Good for you." -Pour_me_one_more
9. I tell people “You’re a man amongst kings.” Usually takes them a second to realize what I said. -ethan_prime
10. "I love the way you don't care what anyone thinks about you..." -RoryPaddy
11. My MIL once said to me “I love how you just play with your kids and don’t worry at all about cleaning your house!” -Happygobecky
12. "You look so good...for a mom!" I've only had one person say that to me, but conditional compliments like that are never very flattering. -smugmisswoodhouse
13. "YOU'RE reading!?" -G0Huskies
14. "You're really pretty for a _____". You can fill in the blank yourself with many different words. -CreepyAssociation173
15. "How are you still single? you're a really nice guy?" -Redt_Wolf
16. "You're smarter than you look." -zoqfotpik
17. "You'd make a great politician." -malfiehenpox
18. “You’re too pretty to be working here.” Said to me when I was working in a grocery store by a man. -sfmxkitty
19. Anything not committal, like “that’s really something,” or “I’m speechless.” -dream_monkey
20. When someone sounds extremely surprised and says that your spouse is really good looking. -Special-Barnacle6030