12 signs someone genuinely believes you're beneath them

Some people seem to think they are better than you.

A bald man with glasses makes a quirky expression while wearing a black blazer and white shirt against a gray background.

Some people genuinely believe they are superior to you and most other people they meet. This mental complex is real and it’s actually quite easy to spot. If you notice someone exhibits many of the signs that follow, you can be sure that they see you as beneath them; a lesser being, if you will.

1. They have a dismissive attitude.

Two men in business attire sit at a desk cluttered with paper and documents. The man on the left gestures with a raised hand, appearing to dismiss or reject something. The man on the right holds a pen and tablet, engaging in a discussion.

People who act like your words are not worthy of consideration are communicating to you that they do not value you—they believe you are beneath them. They may ignore your ideas, opinions, or contributions. In many cases, they will flat-out ignore what you have to say or what you do. However, they may also just make snide comments about how it won’t work out or how your idea is stupid.

2. They use patronizing language.

A man and a woman, both in business attire, are seated at a wooden table in a professional setting. They are engaged in a discussion, with documents and a laptop in front of them. The man is gesturing with his hand, while the woman listens attentively.

The language and tone they use imply that you are less capable or stupid. People who are dismissive of you will often use passive-aggressive language and mannerisms to communicate that. They may talk to you slowly or say things like, “Let me dumb that down for you…” because they think that you don’t understand it. Statements like that imply that you are incapable of performing at their level.

3. They interrupt frequently.

A man in a gray suit and glasses is sitting at a desk, gesturing with his hands and intently listening to a woman holding a document. The woman, with long blonde hair, is turned slightly away from the camera. The meeting appears to be in a modern office.

To interrupt someone frequently is to say, “I don’t respect what you have to say.” It’s a sure sign that someone believes they are better than you. They don’t even want to entertain what you might have to say because it may give you the opportunity to prove yourself better than they think you are. Furthermore, it may give you an opportunity to disprove whatever they’re saying behind your back.

4. They talk down to you.

A man in a pink sweater leans over a desk to speak to a woman in a green sweater working on a laptop. Both are wearing glasses and appear to be in a modern office setting with shelves and books in the background. The woman looks up at the man attentively.

They often simplify explanations unnecessarily, as if you can’t understand the topic. This behavior is something you will often run into in your professional life. There are a lot of egos at work, people jockeying for position, and those who are more than happy to step on others to raise themselves up. Talking down to you is their attempt to make you look stupid and themselves smarter.

5. They disregard your achievements.

Two women are seated at a wooden table in a modern café with large windows. The woman on the left is wearing a red sweater and smiling, while the woman on the right, in a brown jacket, is gesturing with her hands as she speaks.

Achievements run counter to their narrative that you aren’t good enough. Thus, they want to downplay your successes and achievements to maintain that belief. They may also try to take credit for your good work, which secretly tells you that they do understand your work is valuable. If it wasn’t, why would they bother trying to take credit for it?

6. They are reluctant to admit their mistakes.

A woman in professional attire engages in a discussion with a man across a desk in an office setting. The desk has a laptop, a potted plant, and documents, including a colorful chart. The woman is gesturing, suggesting she's explaining or emphasizing a point.

In their eyes, admitting a mistake means conceding that they are less perfect than they imagine themselves to be. They certainly don’t want to admit their mistakes to you otherwise that will disrupt their narrative. They will often shift blame, often onto you, or act like they’re incapable of making a mistake.

7. Their body language is disrespectful.

Two men in suits are engaged in conversation in a white room. One man, facing forward, has his arms crossed, while the other has his back to the camera.

Body language can communicate disrespect as easily as respect. They may act antsy, as though they have somewhere more important to be while you’re talking. Crossing the arms is a common sign that someone isn’t interested. And, of course, eye rolls and smirking are a sign that they aren’t taking what you have to say seriously.

8. They are unwilling to work together.

A woman in a black blazer and white shirt holds yellow folders while speaking to another person. They are standing in an office setting with glass walls. The woman appears focused and is gesturing with her hand.

People who are dismissive of you do not want to work with you. They may view your work as subpar, that your work would lower the quality of the final product. In many cases, they haven’t even honestly evaluated your work to make an intelligent decision on it. They may instead be judging you on your personality and whether or not they like you, which they obviously don’t.

9. They overemphasize their accomplishments.

Two men are sitting in an office. The man on the left, wearing a blue shirt, is looking down while the man on the right, in a white shirt, is smiling, holding a smartphone. The background is blurred, with light coming from overhead lamps and a computer screen visible.

They may feel the need to reinforce their superiority by constantly reminding you of their accomplishments. It doesn’t matter what you do or have done, what they’ve done is always more exceptional. That may be getting a raise, what college you went to, whether or not you actually went to a college, or workplace accomplishments like awards.

10. They may blatantly or subtly compete with you.

Two men in suits are working together on laptops. The man on the left has a beard and is looking at the man on the right, who is focused on his screen. They are seated at a white desk against a white brick wall background.

Ordinary interactions turn into competitions where they are trying to “win” in situations like social settings. They may be competing with you at work without ever informing you that you are in a competition. In many cases, their competition will be nonsensical and then they will want to gloat when they outperform you. They may also believe that you are competing with them for no reason.

11. They may practice selective politeness.

A man and woman having a conversation in a bright, modern office. Both are casually dressed, holding coffee mugs, and wearing lanyards. The woman holds a notebook. Large windows overlook a cityscape in the background.

They tend to only practice kindness and politeness to people who aren’t you. Respect is something they reserve for the people that they like or that they find useful. You may also find that they are kind and respectful to you only when they want something from you. Any kind of praise or acknowledgment is usually followed with something like, “Can you do this for me?”

12. They do not include you in decisions.

A woman stands in the foreground, holding a tablet, and appears focused. In the background, four people sit around a table with laptops, and another person stands near a whiteboard, giving a presentation. A wall-mounted screen displays a slide in the meeting room.

Excluding you from important decisions is one way they communicate their disdain and disrespect toward you. They don’t feel you are knowledgeable enough or worthy of participating in those decisions because they don’t feel that your input is valuable or relevant. In many cases, you will find that you aren’t invited to the important discussions where these decisions need to be made.