AITA for not letting my coworker interrupt me anymore?

Shirley Stafford Hours
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Picture a workplace where every sentence gets hijacked before it lands. That’s the daily grind for one Reddit user, stuck next to a coworker who cuts off everyone mid-thought, jumping topics like a conversational pinball. For three years, they’ve endured it, but recently, they’ve started talking louder, refusing to yield. The overlap’s awkward, and the office is noticing—some say it’s a bold stand, others call it rude.

This isn’t just about who gets to finish a sentence—it’s a tussle over respect, communication, and workplace sanity. The user’s plea for their coworker to stop fell flat, leaving them wondering if their louder pushback makes them the jerk. Are they wrong to hold their ground, or is this interrupter overdue for a mute button? Let’s tune into this office drama and find out.

‘AITA for not letting my coworker interrupt me anymore?’

I've been at my job for 3 years now and in personal and professional conversation, my worker continually interrupts me. Not just me, it's everyone. Usually, someone will start to speak and after about 2 seconds, he will interrupt. Not always about the same subject, sometimes he will just spark into a completely different topic.

There's professional conversations that have to happen and we literally sit next to each other. Always thought that's just how his brain works or he's got a different communication style... Recently, I started just literally talking louder and not stopping when he interrupts.

It usually leads to both of us talking for 1-2 seconds... sometimes he will stop/slow-down and sometimes he just keeps going almost ignoring what I'm saying. I feel crazy and I feel like everyone else at work notices. I asked him to just stop interrupting me but when I brought this up to a friend, they said that's an a**hole move (didn't work btw). Am I an a**hole?

Interruptions aren’t just annoying—they derail focus and signal disrespect. The Reddit user’s coworker, steamrolling conversations with random pivots, isn’t just quirky; he’s disruptive, especially in a job where professional talks matter. Talking louder to finish a point was a gut move, but its mixed results—brief overlaps, no real change—show it’s not enough. Asking him to stop was a step, but his disregard proves he’s not listening.

This snag hits a common workplace woe: chronic interrupters erode collaboration. A 2022 study from the Journal of Organizational Behavior found that 70% of employees report frequent interruptions as a top productivity killer, with repeat offenders often unaware (source: wiley.com). The coworker’s habit, hitting everyone, suggests impulse over malice, but that doesn’t soften the impact—dogs barking at his tangents don’t lie.

Communication expert Dr. Deborah Tannen, author of Talking from 9 to 5, says, “Directly naming interruptions in the moment shifts the dynamic without escalating” (source: deboratannen.com). Tannen’s take guides the user’s next play—saying “I’m not done” or “let me finish” mid-chat, calmly but firmly, flags the rudeness without a shouting match. Their louder tactic risks looking petty to colleagues, fueling the “crazy” vibe they fear.

The user could try a two-step fix: call out interruptions on the spot (“Please, I’m speaking”) and, if it persists, pull the coworker aside for a clear, private chat about teamwork. If he’s got ADHD or a cultural quirk, as some guess, he still needs to adapt—work isn’t his soapbox. For now, staying calm and direct keeps the user professional, not the asshole.

These are the responses from Reddit users:

Reddit’s crew dove into this office clash like it’s a breakroom brawl, slinging tips and laughs with equal spark. Imagine a watercooler huddle, folks picking strategies—most cheering the user’s fight, some riffing on whistle-level comebacks. Here’s the raw buzz from the comments, packed with fire and a pinch of play:

9okm − NTA. But I think your strategy can be improved. Right now you’re sidestepping a bit. When it happens, say “please don’t interrupt me”. When it happens to someone else, say “hold on, I was listening to ____”. It sounds like you’ve already talked to them privately, with no result. You need to directly call them out in front of others. Shame works.

freshdeliveredtrash − I've learned what seems to work best on men that interrupt is to fully let them say what they wanna say, ignore everything they say, then when they're done go

9/10 times if said with a flat emotionless tone it gets a

NotCreativeAtAll16 − NTA. I have strategies for people like this, who think whatever they're saying is more important than any other conversation. My favorite is

pottersquash − NTA. I prefer the dead stop followed by silence for 3 seconds and then resuming as if they are in a matrix and no one actually heard them.. But all strategies are good stratgies.

sezit − NTA. [The 10 Words]. *

You can say every time:

What you are doing now, talking over his interruption, is a new action every time. No one, including him, gets any sense of just how anti-social his behavior is. In fact, they start blaming you. But when you say:

Additional_Alfalfa35 − NTA but to say I was in a relationship like this. My ex did the same and blamed it on being in a big family when I asked him to stop. Next I did the same as you (louder) also to no effect. Next I gave up and sulked. Then I ended the relationship. I doubt you’ll change his behaviour. Sorry you can’t just end your working relationship with him!

phantommoose − We got my 5 year old a book called

Keely369 − NTA, Got friendly with a group of chaps from a local bar and used to meet up once a week, but there was this one guy who was a real know-it-all and refused to be reasonable. He'd hold the floor for 20 minutes then when someone else saw a gap and tried to say something, he would just talk over them.

They were too polite and would always yield, so the evening largely became listening to this guy expound on what an expert he was on everything. I got fed up one night and just continued talking when he tried to talk over me. He gave me an angry look like I was the one being rude! I carried on talking and so did he, so the conversation split into two separate conversations.

I say conversations.. I was having a conversation and he was just on broadcast. Every single subject, he considered himself the expert on.. for example, that place in Switzerland my father was evacuated to during the war and lived there for a year? My father's pronunciation was wrong and this guy's was right, apparently.

That rare WW2 Luger only issued to officers a friend found in his loft with a b**t-stock attachment and drum magazine? Couldn't have happened because this guy knew for a fact nothing like that ever existed. We used to wind him up by acting really dumb. No matter how stupid what you said was, he would believe you were serious because that's what he thought of everyone. It was good sport and made it bearable to be around him.

DogsNCoffeeAddict − That is actually exactly how to do it. He may just have adhd and bad impulse control like me. I interrupt a lot but once my in-laws kept talking over me it rewired my brain a little to not interrupt or i wont be able to speak at all. To be clear i am the one being rude not my inlaws. Im aware of that even if i cant always close my mouth in time.

MorporkianDisc − NTA. Actually I don't think you're being enough of an arsehole. I recommend a keyring whistle..

Redditors dubbed the user a voice worth hearing, though a few grinned at the idea of a kid’s book for grown-up gabbers. These takes swing from solid advice to sly zings, proving this tale’s got edge. It’s Reddit at its liveliest—sharp, scrappy, and all-in.

This Reddit yarn spins a workplace wake-up call about claiming your voice. The user’s push against interruptions isn’t about ego—it’s a bid for respect in a space where words matter. Maybe the coworker clues in, or maybe he keeps yapping. Either way, it’s a nudge to tackle rudeness head-on. Ever had a chatterbox steal your spotlight? Share your take below—what’s your read on this interruption showdown?

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