Dealing with entitled people is absolutely exhausting. Whether they expect special treatment, disregard boundaries, or act like the rules don’t apply to them, they have a way of draining your energy and testing your patience. The tricky part is that being reactive often plays straight into their hands. So, if you want to hold your ground without losing your temper, it helps to have a few strategies up your sleeve. These approaches are all about protecting your own peace while keeping things respectful (even if they’re not).
1. Set clear boundaries, and actually stick to them.
Entitled people are used to pushing past boundaries and getting their way. So the first step is deciding what your limits are, and making sure you don’t bend just to keep the peace. Clarity is your best friend here. It’s not enough to say what bothers you; you have to follow through. When they test your limits (and they will), a calm, consistent response sends the message that you’re not someone who can be walked all over.
2. Don’t take their behaviour personally.
It’s easy to get offended when someone acts entitled. But their attitude usually says more about them than it does about you. Most entitled people are reacting from insecurity, ego, or past conditioning—not anything you’ve done. Reminding yourself of that helps you stay grounded. Instead of getting caught in their emotional mess, you can step back and choose not to let it stick to you.
3. Don’t get into emotional power struggles.
Entitled people often try to bait those around them into overreacting. Whether it’s guilt-tripping, complaining, or making passive-aggressive comments, they want you to rise to their level of drama. Your best response? Stay steady. The less emotionally reactive you are, the less control they have. Staying calm isn’t weakness; it’s power in disguise.
4. Be direct without being aggressive.
You don’t need to match their energy to make a point. In fact, the more entitled someone is, the more effective it is to be direct, grounded, and unbothered when you speak. Say what you mean in a way that’s firm but not hostile. You’re not trying to shame them—you’re just making it clear that their sense of special treatment doesn’t fly with you.
5. Don’t play therapist.
You might feel tempted to “understand” them into better behaviour. However, trying to fix or over-analyse an entitled person can drag you into emotional quicksand. It’s not your job to untangle their mindset. Be compassionate, yes, but stay realistic. You’re allowed to say, “I understand where you’re coming from, but I’m not okay with how you’re treating me.”
6. Use calm repetition.
Entitled people often ignore the first “no” and expect you to cave on the second. That’s where repetition helps. Stay calm, repeat your stance, and resist the urge to over-explain. When you say the same thing without getting flustered, it shows strength. They’ll either back off, or realise you’re not going to budge just because they’re loud or persistent.
7. Know when to disengage.
Not every battle is worth fighting. If someone’s sense of entitlement is spiralling into absurd territory, sometimes the smartest move is to step away. You don’t need to fix their behaviour for the world to keep turning. Disengaging doesn’t mean you’ve lost—it means you’re protecting your time and mental energy. That’s something entitled people hate because it shows you’re not dependent on their approval.
8. Avoid trying to out-entitle them.
It’s tempting to meet entitlement with entitlement, especially when they’re being completely unreasonable. However, trying to “win” at their own game just pulls you into a mindset you don’t want to be in. Instead of getting pulled into ego-driven sparring, anchor yourself in self-respect. You don’t need to dominate the conversation—you just need to stay clear on your values.
9. Keep your expectations realistic.
Expecting a highly entitled person to suddenly become self-aware is setting yourself up for disappointment. They rarely change just because someone pointed out their behaviour. When you lower your expectations and accept that you might not get an apology or understanding, you take back control of the situation. That adjustment can spare you a lot of frustration.
10. Don’t reward bad behaviour.
One reason entitled people keep pushing is because it often works. If you give in every time they throw a fit, they learn that this is the way to get what they want. Even if it feels easier in the short term, reinforcing bad behaviour only makes things worse. Hold the line, even if it makes things tense for a bit.
11. Use “I” statements, not blame.
If you need to call something out, do it in a way that reflects how you feel rather than accusing them. Say things like, “I feel dismissed when that happens,” instead of, “You always act entitled.” This keeps things from becoming a shouting match. It focuses the conversation on how their behaviour affects you, not who’s “wrong.” That makes it harder for them to twist the situation back on you.
12. Redirect the focus.
Sometimes the best way to deal with entitlement is to steer the conversation away from their demands and toward shared goals or facts. Entitled people often focus on what they think they deserve—so redirecting to what’s actually fair or helpful can deflate their steam. This is especially useful in work or family settings. It avoids confrontation while still making it clear that the conversation won’t revolve around their whims.
13. Stay consistent, even when they escalate.
Entitled people may try to test your boundaries by pushing harder when they don’t get their way. This is where consistency matters most. Don’t soften your stance just because they’ve ramped up their behaviour. They’re hoping your discomfort will make you give in, but if you stay grounded and repeat your message without faltering, they eventually learn that you’re not someone who caves under pressure.
14. Protect your energy afterwards.
Interacting with entitled people can leave you feeling drained, even if you handled it well. It’s important to decompress afterwards—go for a walk, talk to someone supportive, or just give yourself some mental space. Dealing with difficult personalities takes effort. Don’t be surprised if you need time to reset, and don’t feel guilty for needing a break from that energy.
15. Know when it’s time to step away for good.
If someone’s entitlement is part of a bigger pattern of disrespect or emotional harm, it’s okay to walk away entirely. You’re not weak for creating distance—you’re strong for protecting your peace. Some people just don’t want to change, and that’s not your fault. Your time and energy are too valuable to spend constantly managing someone else’s ego.
