People have been sharing the ‘most backhanded compliments’ they have ever received – 23 comments from people who genuinely meant well

Karen Dickinson. Updated November 14th, 2026

It’s always lovely to get a compliment, isn’t it? It puts a spring in your step and can really make your day.

What’s less lovely is a comment that’s genuinely intended to be nice but actually makes you feel worse than if it had never been uttered.

User Which_Performance_72 shared an example of their own on the AskUK subreddit…

What’s the most backhanded compliment you’ve received from someone sincere?

My friend saw me for the first time in a while recently and said:

“You look like the love interest in a Richard Curtis film if the casting director had forgotten her glasses that day.”

Which felt like it should hurt, but I will be riding this high into the next decade. What’s yours?

At least they had the grace to take it well. Lots of other people had some wince-inducingly faint praise of their own to share too…

‘A middle-aged Indian woman in Kerala to me, a very middle-aged, very white man, whilst she prodded the underside of my forearm…

Your skin is so beautiful, it’s just like chicken that hasn’t been cooked yet.’
–Dark_Foggy_Evenings

‘”You look good for someone who has had two kids.”

I, in fact, didn’t have kids and I was 24.’
–catasha7

‘I was feeling a bit down, so I said to my husband, ‘Oh, I feel so old and ugly today.’ I hoped he’d say something kind, but he just said, ‘Never mind, it must be much worse for your sister, because she was beautiful.’

He meant it as a compliment. The toad!’
–Esme-Weatherwax-

‘“I love that dress! No, really I do! It’s not easy to find dresses that look good on big girls.”’
–shhh-dolly

‘“Have you changed something about your appearance? You look alright now.”

Well gee thanks very much.’
–ConstantPurpose2419

‘Working in a prop studio in a fancy venue. We have open days for the members. One of them enthusiastically said “its really important for people to see that their are jobs like this for people who are less academic”.

Literally everyone in the studio has degrees. I have three of them. Nobody is there by second choice. I know she meant well, but c’mon, love…’
–GunstarGreen

‘My mum (about my husband): “You’d never get better than him.”‘
–nirvamy

‘”Of course you run Dungeons and Dragons games.”‘
–IammisterIB

‘”You don’t look like you work in IT.”

I’ve heard it so often.

I think its meant as a compliment but never feels like one to me, or the women who in their mind presumably do look like they work in IT. There’s no need to put one person down in an attempt to lift another up.’
–elgrn1

10.

‘I’ve been told by multiple people I don’t photograph well the first time they meet me irl.’
–DataPsychological_

11.

”Your daughter is beautiful, does she take after her father?”
–Just_saying_like

12.

‘I’ve got two favourites.

One is from my sister who’d come up to visit me from London: “It’s a nice little life you have up here.”

The second from a girl I wasn’t dating but was sort of seeing: “You’re a great person to waste time with.”‘
–camull

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