12 Sneaky Behaviors Of People Who Can't Stop Gossiping

Sound like anybody you know?

Three women sitting at a table outdoors. The woman in the center looks surprised, while the two on either side are whispering in her ears. There is a red flower pot on the table.

Gossipy people can be excruciating to deal with, as you have to be so guarded around them. Watch out for the following behaviors, as they’re some of the sneakiest things these types of people will do to get new dirt to spread around.

1. They drop hints about something in the hope that you’ll ask them about it.

Two women seated at a table, one whispering to the other. One has dark hair and a polka dot shirt, the other with glasses and a pink blouse. A laptop, notebook, and glass of water are on the table. Large windows are in the background.

This is known as “vaguebooking” on Facebook and other social media sites, but it can also happen in person. They’ll keep alluding to something without saying it outright, baiting others to ask questions so they can talk about the tantalizing info they have simmering just below the surface.

2. They “accidentally” let information slip out during conversations.

A woman with long blond hair and glasses looks surprised, covering her mouth with one hand. She is wearing a coral-colored top against a plain white background.

You’ll be having a conversation and they’ll suddenly mention something completely random, then pretend they’re shocked and horrified that they let that slip out. “Oops” indeed. Of course, now that the cat’s out of the bag, it’s okay to tell you about it, since they didn’t do it intentionally.

3. They’ll look through your personal information.

A blonde woman is sitting and looking at her phone with a small smile, while a man with short brown hair and beard, dressed in a red sweater, leans over her shoulder with a slightly curious expression. Shelves are visible in the background.

Whether it’s your online presence or your personal life, they’ll go digging for any interesting information about you. If you happen to fall asleep (or pass out) in their presence, they might even go so far as to go through your phone or computer to see if there’s anything interesting to discover.

4. They’ll show different faces to different people they’re talking to.

A group of six people sitting around a table in a warmly lit cafe, engaged in lively conversation and laughter. One person is standing, smiling, and talking animatedly while the others listen and respond with smiles and gestures.

Gossips will take on a variety of guises to suit the different social circles they interact with. As a result, they’ll behave differently depending on who they’re talking to, and may avoid having their social circles overlap so they don’t have to put on conflicting masks when interacting with them.

5. They’ll ask you to keep other people’s secrets.

A person with long red nails and wearing colorful earrings is holding their finger to their lips, signaling for silence. They are dressed in a patterned shirt with a blue background.

“Don’t tell anyone I told you this, buuttttt…” This is a common intro from people who can’t stop gossiping. They simply can’t be trusted to keep a secret, and will share what they’re entrusted with as soon as possible under the guise of sharing info “just between us two”.

6. They react very badly when others start gossiping about them.

Two women are standing outdoors, engaged in an intense conversation. Both have a perplexed expression and are gesturing with their hands as they talk. One woman is wearing a brown coat, and the other a red top. Trees and a blurred background are visible.

They tend to have atrocious double standards, and act horrified and betrayed if they discover that anyone has been gossiping about them, or has shared anything that they mentioned in confidence. It’s very rare that they notice the irony in their behavior, and will get defensive if confronted with it.

7. They cycle through their friendship groups on a regular basis.

A group of women exercising in a gym, holding green dumbbells and smiling. The focus is on a woman in the center looking at someone beside her. The background is blurred, with two others visible in workout attire.

Most rabid gossips have a fairly extensive network of friends and casual acquaintances that they divide their time with. They do this in order to get extra gossip about various people, to keep the drama fresh for themselves, and to avoid scrutiny about their underhanded behavior.

8. They encourage others to open up to them, but never do so in return.

A young woman with her head down appears worried while another woman, slightly blurred in the background, gestures as if speaking to her. The scene suggests a serious or empathetic conversation.

These people tend to be the first to let others know that they can trust them, but don’t offer many details about themselves in case they’re used the wrong way. They often keep social media profiles private, and are as guarded about their lives as they are inquisitive of others.

9. They’re furtive bloodhounds for drama.

Three individuals sit on a bench outdoors, engaged in a conversation. The person on the left wears a white shirt and holds sunglasses, the person in the middle gestures while speaking, and the person on the right listens attentively. Trees and a walkway are in the background.

Like sharks being able to sense a drop of blood a quarter of a mile away, they have an uncanny ability to sniff out a morsel of drama that’s floating around, and hone in on it. Then of course, they’re happy to volunteer as a counselor and helping hand to get all the details.

10. They keep very petty records.

A woman with long blonde hair, wearing a black turtleneck and a tan coat, stands against a bright blue background. She has her hands together in front of her chest and is looking to the side with a playful, mischievous expression on her face.

A common behavior that they’ll partake in is to keep screenshots of conversations or social media posts that they’ll refer back to years later. These are sometimes the most petty and inane things, but they’ll hold onto them like Uno cards to play for maximum effect at the right time.

11. They take advantage of intoxication or infirmity to pry info out of others.

Three women are at a bar. The woman on the left appears to be asleep, leaning on the shoulder of the middle woman, who looks concerned and is touching her face. The woman on the right is holding a blue drink and gesturing as she talks to the others.

A lot of people who can’t stop gossiping will take full advantage of those who are intoxicated by asking them prying questions when they’re in no state to guard or defend themselves. Some will stoop so low as to interrogate those who are half asleep, or coming out of anesthesia.

12. They’ll “drop by” uninvited.

A person wearing sunglasses and a blue sweater is smiling while knocking on a green door.

One sneaky behavior that they’ll engage in if they live within a short distance is to “drop by” when they might observe a juicy bit of gossip to share. This often happens if they think someone might have a new romantic relationship, or if a couple has been fighting recently.