Adrian Volenik
Some people just don’t feel comfortable talking about their achievements. For that reason, they often resort to so-called humblebragging.
They try to pull off seemingly modest or self-deprecating comments with the actual intention of drawing attention to something they’re proud of.
This act of appearing humble, often by pretending to complain about something or downplaying the achievement, can be quite funny.
So, without delay, let’s see what phrases people who humblebrag often use in conversations.
1) “I can’t believe I was invited to another VIP event”
The concept of humblebragging has been around for a while, but the term was popularized by the late Harris Wittels, a writer and comedian.
He even compiled a book titled “Humblebrag: The Art of False Modesty”, based on his popular Twitter account, where he shared examples of humblebrags.
But let’s get back to this example. Humblebragging about being invited to VIP events never gets boring. Or does it?
I mean, it’s a way to make your friends jealous because they aren’t that important to get invited to these get-togethers.
Here’s another example.
2) “I work so much. I can’t believe I got another promotion”
Some people can’t just tell you what they accomplished. They have to make it much more humble for some reason. But in reality, quite the opposite happens.
In fact, humblebragging makes people like you less. Think about that for a moment.
People typically wrap their accomplishments in complaints or humility. This humblebrag would be a complaint, wouldn’t it?
I mean, they work so much! But hey, at least they’re getting promoted. Again!
3) “I’m just fortunate to have been blessed with incredible abilities”
One that falls into the humility category is this one. It’s one of those notorious #blessed social posts, isn’t it?
They tell you how they basically have this perfect life and incredible abilities. But it’s not them. They were born this way.
And what about the following phrase?
4) “I try not to let my success get to my head, but it’s challenging”
With this phrase, the person telling it is humblebragging by letting you know how incredibly successful they are.
They are “trying” to stay grounded, but it’s just oh so hard with all these accomplishments.
I’ve known a couple of people with this kind of attitude. Needless to say, we aren’t in touch anymore.
5) “My new luxury car is such a gas guzzler”
Another humblebrag is complaining about their new and expensive vehicle. Yes, it’s expensive and luxurious, but it just uses so much fuel when they’re driving to Las Vegas for a weekend. Life is terrible, isn’t it?
Meanwhile, your car is barely being kept together by duct tape and prayers.
6) “It was just a small gathering, only a few celebrities were there”
Perfect humblebrag, right? I can imagine them saying something like this,
“It was nothing special, only 10 people plus Tom Cruise, Taylor Swift, and Matt Damon.
“We just drank some wine and talked about going to Aspen this Winter. It was terribly boring. You were lucky you didn’t have to endure it. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. ”
7) “My charity work keeps me so busy”
Okay, I’ll be honest. It doesn’t phase me when it comes to this type of bragging (talking about their charity work). If it’s genuine, of course.
I just quiz them about their charity work and sometimes even ask if they need more help.
But I can definitely see why this humblebrag would bother some people. When the person bragging is trying to position themselves as better than the rest, they lose all the credits they had.
8) “Traveling first class is so tiring”
None of my friends travel first class, and I don’t really know that many people that do, so I didn’t have firsthand experience with this humblebrag.
But this is another classist humblebrag that shows off someone’s wealth and social status to others that are less fortunate.
It’s just like emphasizing faults in your luxury car. It makes the person insufferable.
9) “It’s not my fault. I guess people just find me likeable”
This humblebrag is often used when the person saying it got away with something. For example, a police officer let them off with just a warning instead of a $500 fine.
They’re basically telling you they’re so adorable that they get out of paying fines based on their charm or looks.
This humblebrag can get pretty old if you’ve always had to pay for all your errors, parking tickets, fines, etc.
10) “Oh, I didn’t realize that was such a big deal. It comes naturally to me”
This phrase is a way of downplaying the significance of their achievement while simultaneously highlighting their natural talent or ability.
By expressing surprise at your or others’ reactions or perceptions of the feat, the person saying it subtly desires recognition and admiration without overtly seeking validation.
11) “I don’t know how I manage to keep my 4.0 GPA with all these extracurriculars”
Okay, this one is more brag than it is humble. They not so subtly tell you about their ability to handle multiple responsibilities successfully and showcase their academic achievements alongside their active involvement in other pursuits, hobbies, and interests.
There’s not much you can say here except roll your eyes, I guess.
12) “I barely studied for that exam and still aced it”
A similar humblebrag I’ve heard hundreds of times while attending school and college. I must say, I hated when someone said it. Especially because I knew the opposite was true.
I don’t get why some people still use this phrase. Just admit you studied as a responsible person, and you got exactly what you deserved.
13) “I never expected that post of mine to go viral”
Nobody:
Them: “It’s funny how something I casually shared became such a sensation. I mean, I wasn’t even trying to get that much attention, but it seems like people just can’t resist engaging with what I put out there.
“It’s almost like everything I touch turns to gold on social media. But hey, I guess it’s just a testament to my natural ability to create captivating content without even trying too hard.”
Me: *rolls eyes
14) “I was just playing around when I created that successful app”
This one is incredibly funny to me. It’s another humblebrag that’s making them look incredibly smart, right?
Here’s what else they might say:
“It’s crazy to think that something I whipped up as a small experiment turned out to be such a hit. I mean, I didn’t even put in much effort or take it too seriously. It was just a fun side project for me.”
Yet, here we are.
15) “These designer clothes just aren’t as comfortable”
Oh, man. If I ever heard this one in real life, I would bust out laughing. You’re telling me you spent hundreds of dollars on a single piece of clothing that looks like crap, and it’s uncomfortable?
I’m shocked! I also have some magic beans for sale.
16) “I don’t even know why people listen to my podcast”
Okay, we get it. You have a podcast. But guess what? There are more than 5 million podcasts out there. You aren’t that unique, are you?
Also, I’ve listened to your podcast, and I, too, can’t see why people listen to that crap.
17) “It’s so hard to find time for my yoga classes with all these business trips”
Another humblebrag that’s supposed to make people jealous that you’re traveling and doing yoga.
I mean, it’s great that they’re so busy and successful and everything. It doesn’t mean others should be or even would be jealous of this fact.
I’d rather watch Netflix and do yoga, but you do you.
18) “My inbox is constantly full. I can’t believe how many followers I have on social media”
Social media has taken humblebrags to a whole another level. Now people can humblebrag to the entire world, not just their friends and family, classmates and co-workers.
But this particular humblebrag is targeted at friends who should be envious of their friend’s popularity, I guess.
19) “It’s so exhausting being a keynote speaker at all these conferences”
Another humblebrag that’s supposed to make them look like an incredibly successful and important person.
In reality, I’d probably be proud of them and tell them to keep up the great work!
20) “I’m always being mistaken for a model”
This one I’m not so sure about. It’s another one of those phrases that make you roll your eyes automatically.
Okay, so you look good, but you don’t have to remind us of it constantly.
Final thoughts
Do you have friends or family that always humblebrag? Maybe they’re colleagues or classmates, which somehow makes it even worse.
Either way, people doing it probably think it’s adorable. Everyone else just thinks it’s obnoxious.
