When Someone Insults You at Work, Try This Cheeky Move – What Could Go Wrong

Picture this: you’re in a meeting, sipping lukewarm coffee, when someone lobs an insult your way like a verbal grenade. The room goes quiet, tension crackles, and all eyes dart between you and the offender. Do you fire back, shrink into your chair, or—cue the Reddit life pro tip—calmly ask them to repeat it? This little gem of advice promises to flip the script, exposing unprofessional jabs for all to see. It’s clever, subtle, and oh-so-satisfying to imagine.

But here’s the rub: what happens when the insulter doesn’t back down? The original poster (OP) swears this tactic either nets an apology or outs bad behavior to the crowd. With psychological safety being the backbone of any decent team, it’s no wonder this trick struck a chord. Let’s dive into the Redditor’s story and see if it holds water—or just leaves you soaking in awkwardness.

‘LPT – when someone insults you during a meeting, pretend as if you did not hear them and ask them to repeat what they just said. They will either apologize or confirm their unprofessional behavior to the meeting audience – the latter can not be accepted.’

Keeps you cool and the vibe professional.

This trick shines because it flips the script without a fight. First, asking them to repeat forces a pause—most people back off when they realize they’re on the spot, mumbling an apology to save face. Second, if they double down, they’re the one looking unprofessional, not you; the whole room sees it, and that’s harder to ignore. Psychological safety’s key in teams—aggressive digs kill trust fast. I’ve watched this play out; it’s like handing them a shovel to either climb out or dig deeper.

There’s more to love here. You stay above the fray—no one can accuse you of escalating. It also sets a quiet boundary—insults don’t fly, and people notice. Plus, it’s a team win; flagging that junk helps everyone feel safer to speak up. You’re not just dodging a jab—you’re nudging the whole culture toward something better without breaking a sweat.

So, next meeting, if someone swings low, try this out. It’s crazy how a simple “Sorry, what was that?” can shift the room. Keeps your dignity intact and lets the group sort out what’s okay.

What do you think—would you use this to handle a meeting insult? Ever seen someone’s rudeness backfire in front of a crowd? What would you do if you were stuck in a room where jabs were flying left and right?

Workplace insults? They’re like stepping on a Lego in the dark—painful and totally unnecessary. The OP’s trick hinges on a simple truth: calling out rudeness can shift the power dynamic. But it’s not foolproof. Dr. Amy Edmondson, a Harvard professor and psychological safety guru, once said, “Psychological safety is a belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, or mistakes.” When insults fly, that safety crumbles—and this LPT aims to rebuild it, one “sorry, what?” at a time.

The OP’s facing a classic clash: their need for respect versus the insulter’s apparent need to flex. The tactic’s brilliance lies in its simplicity—it forces the aggressor to either own their words or slink away. Yet, as some Redditors noted, a sly passive-aggressor might twist it back on you. Broader picture? Toxic workplaces breed this nonsense. A 2021 MIT study found 1 in 4 employees face incivility at work—proof this isn’t just OP’s bad luck.

Edmondson’s lens suggests the real fix isn’t a clever comeback—it’s a culture shift. If your office is a verbal boxing ring, her advice would be to set boundaries early and lean on team norms to KO aggression. For OP, this trick might buy time, but if insults are routine, it’s a Band-Aid on a broken system. Solution? Test the waters with this move, but don’t stop there—document it, escalate if needed, and polish that resume just in case.

Here’s the comments of Reddit users:

The Reddit peanut gallery didn’t hold back—here’s what they had to say, served with a side of snark: “Here are some hot takes from the Reddit community—candid and humorous.”

These are popular opinions on Reddit, but do they really reflect reality? Some swear by the trick, others say it’s a dud—guess it depends on who’s swinging the insult.

So, does this LPT turn you into a workplace ninja or just leave you dodging verbal shrapnel? It’s a mixed bag—great for spotlighting jerks, dicey if they double down. Toxic vibes don’t vanish with one clever line; they fester until the culture gets a detox. What would you do if you found yourself in a similar situation? Drop your thoughts below—have you ever flipped an insult back on someone? Spill the tea!