Cut-throat people don’t usually announce themselves, unfortunately.
They blend in, smile when it suits them, and say things that sound harmless—until you realise they were laying groundwork to get ahead at your expense. They’re experts at using everyday language to pass the blame, claim credit, or subtly push other people down. If any of these phrases sound familiar, there’s a good chance you’ve crossed paths with someone playing the long game.
1. “I’m just being honest.”
On the surface, it sounds noble—who doesn’t value honesty? However, this line is often a cover for being unnecessarily harsh or cutting. It gives them permission to criticise without taking responsibility for the hurt they cause. Cut-throat people hide behind “honesty” to deliver digs they know will sting, making you second-guess your worth while they pretend they were just trying to help. It’s emotional manipulation dressed up as virtue.
2. “You’re so much better at that than I am.”
It sounds like a compliment at first glance, but sometimes, it’s a subtle way to shove responsibilities onto someone else while they step back and free themselves up for more strategic moves. Cut-throat types know that flattery disarms people. By framing the handoff as admiration, they get you to take on more work without realising you’re being used as a stepping stone.
3. “I just assumed you’d want to help.”
This one weaponises guilt while making it seem like you’re the unreasonable one if you don’t jump in. It quietly rewrites the narrative so that helping them becomes your responsibility by default. Cut-throat people count on you not wanting to seem selfish. They plant the expectation first, so when you hesitate, you’re already positioned as the one who’s letting the team down.
4. “We’re all on the same team.”
Unity sounds great, but in the wrong hands, it’s used to blur boundaries and hush healthy competition. Cut-throat types use it when they want you to suppress your own ambitions for the “greater good,” which suspiciously always benefits them most. They preach teamwork when it keeps you quiet, compliant, and willing to prioritise their success over your own. Meanwhile, they’re making moves you don’t even see coming.
5. “Don’t make a big deal out of it.”
When someone crosses a line and says this, they’re not actually worried about drama—they’re worried about accountability. This phrase minimises your feelings and pressures you to let it slide for the sake of “keeping the peace.” Cut-throat people use it to silence pushback early, banking on the fact that you’ll feel embarrassed about speaking up and back down before things get uncomfortable for them.
6. “You’re too sensitive.”
Instead of owning the impact of their words or actions, they flip it back on you. Suddenly, you’re the problem for reacting, not them for crossing a line. This gaslights you into questioning your instincts. Cut-throat people love creating doubt because it makes you easier to manage, and less likely to call them out the next time they step over a boundary.
7. “It’s nothing personal.”
They say it after undercutting you in a meeting, taking credit for your idea, or blindsiding you in a way that definitely feels personal. It’s meant to smooth things over so you don’t confront the betrayal directly. Cut-throat people use “nothing personal” to dismiss the emotional fallout of their choices. It’s a way to skip accountability while pretending to stay professional and detached.
8. “I’m just trying to help you.”
This one can sound supportive, but in the wrong context, it’s a cover for micromanaging, undermining, or positioning themselves as the expert while putting you on the defensive. Cut-throat people frame criticism or interference as helpful advice to mask their real intention: control. By making it about your improvement, they make it harder for you to call out the manipulation for what it is.
9. “Let’s keep this between us.”
It sounds conspiratorial, like you’re being invited into an inner circle. But more often, it’s a tactic to create confusion, divide alliances, and subtly isolate people from one another. Cut-throat people use secrecy to their advantage. If they can control who knows what, they can control narratives, and make it easier to manoeuvre behind the scenes without being challenged.
10. “I didn’t think you’d mind.”
Usually said after they’ve overstepped or made a decision that impacts you without consulting you. This phrase makes your boundaries seem like an afterthought, instead of something they should have respected from the start. Cut-throat people act first and apologise later, if they apologise at all. By pretending they didn’t think it would be an issue, they frame your legitimate frustration as an overreaction.
11. “You’re so much more patient/kind/understanding than me.”
At first, it sounds like admiration. But listen carefully—sometimes it’s a pre-emptive move to dump emotional labour onto you while excusing themselves from stepping up. Cut-throat types position you as the “better” person so you’ll tolerate bad behaviour, extra work, or unfair expectations, all while they keep their hands clean and their schedules open.
12. “I was just following orders.”
When things go sideways, cut-throat people love distancing themselves from responsibility by blaming vague authority. They frame themselves as innocent middlemen who were “just doing what they were told.” This tactic lets them escape blame while leaving you holding the consequences. It’s a subtle way to protect their reputation while letting other people take the hit when plans don’t go well.
13. “You’re the only one who’s had an issue with it.”
Nothing shuts down a complaint faster than making someone feel isolated. This suggests that if you have a problem, it must be you—not the situation or the behaviour itself. Cut-throat people use this line to pressure you into silence. If you think you’re alone, you’re less likely to speak up, less likely to resist—and far more likely to back down quietly.
14. “If it were me, I wouldn’t even worry about it.”
It sounds like harmless advice, but it’s another way of brushing off real concerns while framing themselves as cool-headed and superior. They subtly suggest that your reactions are excessive or immature. Cut-throat types use this tactic to minimise problems they don’t want to deal with—or worse, problems they caused. If they can make you feel silly for caring, they win without ever addressing the real issue.
15. “You’re so good at handling pressure.”
This sounds flattering until you realise it’s being used to justify giving you even more pressure. It frames resilience as permission to keep piling on responsibilities without regard for your limits. Cut-throat people weaponise compliments, knowing that if you pride yourself on being capable, you’ll be less likely to push back when they overload you for their own gain.
16. “We all have to make sacrifices.”
When someone says this, it often means they expect you to sacrifice, and they expect to benefit from it. It frames unfairness as noble, making you feel selfish if you resist being the one who always gives more. Cut-throat people love to invoke sacrifice when it’s convenient for them. They rarely apply the standard to themselves, but they’re happy to watch everyone else carry the heavier load while calling it teamwork.
