It may be wise to take a step back and truly assess the context of an accolade you are suspicious of. If you did, it’s a chance the person was actually being genuine.Think about it. There’s no reason for the person to use sarcasm or false flattery if you weren’t even meant to hear the remark. If you heard others exchanging nice words about you, consider that they were earnest. A client of mine, whom I will call Joanna, learned firsthand about the power of a manipulative flatterer.
Don’t assume the compliment is insincere if it’s over text; it’s really hard to identify tone in a text message, and they may be genuinely trying to compliment you. Find similar words to flattery using the buttons below. If the days were filled with flattery, the nights were filled with emptiness. Add flattery to one of your lists below, or create a new one.
How to deal with the insincere people in your life. Say “thank you.” If you are tempted to respond impulsively with a remark that could come back to harm you, it may be in your best interest to reply simply as if the person was entirely sincere. Tell the person “thank you” even if you’re sure the compliment wasn’t altogether genuine.
This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity. Flattery is dishonest when used to gain or control. It is effective because everyone has insecurities and loves to be told great things about themselves. She soon pressured him to spend time legerity meaning at her house and talked about marriage. He was distressed and confused, because he had a long-distance girlfriend, and his requests were being disregarded. Things turned abusive, as he would make fun of her looks and take her phone as punishment.
Influence, or sex, and use flattery as goal- directed behavior to get what they want. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 37,202 times. Developing and honing new skills can help you build self-efficacy and start to believe in your abilities. Or, ask your boss for some on-the-job training in a new area.
Say something like, “Thank you, that’s very kind of you,” or “Thank you, I appreciate the compliment.” Quite to the contrary, these soothsayers understand that flattery has the power to influence, corrupt, undermine, and deceive – they wield flattery as a lethal weapon against the undiscerning. Manipulation in the form of flattery is little more than a covert form of aggression. The first step in dealing with an untruthful or insincere person is often to accept who they are.