6 Compliments You Didn’t Know Are Actually Offensive

…How often do you give people compliments?

We all want to be complimented and only hear good things about ourselves, but sometimes, although people are nice and really genuine about what they want to tell us, their intentions are totally different than what they actually express.

The truth is that we live in a world where everything we say can easily be misunderstood, and we have to make extra efforts to only say things that sound good and won’t upset anybody. We know it’s easier said than done, but we’ve got you!

We wanted to know more about the compliments that are actually pretty insulting, so we did our research, and now we want to share everything we know with you. With that being said, here are 6 compliments you didn’t know were actually offensive:

1. You’re such a strong person

When someone is going through a tough and hard time, the majority of people want to express their support and assurance in their ability to get past that period. Some of them really appreciate the support and they see it as a motivation to get over the difficult time, while others see it as something bad and insulting.

That’s because they perceive the whole thing as something that just calls attention to the fact that their life is not exactly the best it can be at the moment. Some relationship experts even say that there are times when people don’t want to be strong, or don’t have any idea on how to handle the challenges. As you can imagine, this type of comment only makes them feel even more insecure about the fact that they’re not doing what they’re “supposed” to be doing.

…Do you agree with this one? Share your thoughts and opinions with us! 

2. Hey, you’re on time 

Some people are always on time, some aren’t. That’s a fact. However, when you want to give your chronically late friends a compliment on being at a certain location on time, they are more likely to see it as an insult. That’s because all you do is actually point out that they’re not usually punctual, and they can easily see this as condescending.

…Do you have friends that are always late, no matter what?

3. I’m proud of you for getting a raise

We’ve never thought that complimenting someone for getting a raise could actually be perceived as something offensive, but a few relationship experts say something else. However, there’s a spin to this situation, and we have to say that something like this is more likely to happen to people who are part of a long and serious relationship.

When someone tells their significant other that they’re proud of them for getting a raise, instead of seeing it as something good and positive, they actually feel like they’re only worth as much as their paycheck is. It might be difficult to believe, but in their minds, they will mainly think of the fact that they didn’t receive as much money before, which can lead to feelings such as embarrassment and even guilt.

…Would you be happy or angry to hear something like this?

4. This new hairstyle makes you look younger

We all love being complimented when we have a certain change of look. It makes us feel a bit different, but in a good way, more confident, and more beautiful. However, there are times when people try to compliment someone on their new look but end up pointing out how bad they used to look.

Instead of telling someone that their new hairstyle fits them so well and also makes them look a lot younger, it’s better to stick to the first part; there’s no need to elaborate, especially when it can make someone feel bad.

5. You look so good, why are you single?

The thing single people love the most is someone who constantly reminds them of their relationship status, right? Well, of course not. As much as you want to make someone feel better about their love life by telling them how good they look, you’re actually making things worse.

That’s because you’re implying that they’re bad partners, so there might be something wrong with them that keeps them single. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to not comment on someone else’s relationship status unless they are the ones who talk and bring up the conversation first.

…Have you ever asked someone something like this? What answer did they give you? We want to know more, so tell us in the comments!

6. You have a nice smile, you should smile more 

This might come as a sincere and genuine compliment because you really want to see someone smile and be in a good mood, but some people don’t see it that way. They are more likely to understand that you don’t like their mood. Even though this might not be your intention, it might be best to only say something like this to people you know very well and you have no doubt regarding the way they’ll react.

…Do you want to read more about things that you’d better keep for yourself? We have some tips for you, so check this article out: 8 Things You Shouldn’t Say to Other People!