Manipulation
Negging
Compliments that quietly cut.
Negging is a put-down wearing a compliment's clothes. "You're pretty for someone who…", "I usually don't go for people like you." Each line lands as flattery and an insult at once, leaving you slightly off-balance and working to earn back approval. Done once it's a bad joke; done as a pattern it's a strategy to lower your confidence so theirs reads higher.
Common signs
- Backhanded compliments that sting more than they flatter
- Subtle digs at your looks, taste, or intelligence
- "Just being honest" used to excuse the jab
- Leaves you working to win back their approval