What Does Condescending Mean?

By jamie

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2. “Actually”

“Actually,” is a fairly common word that basically means the equivalent of “as a matter of fact.” While the meaning of the word is quite straightforward in most cases, it can be quite condescending if not used right. For example, the phrase: “I actually really liked the meal” is not as much of a compliment as it might sound.

While the user is complementing the meal, they are also displaying a negative opinion of the person that made it. In adding the word “actually” into the sentence, it suggests the user is surprised that the chef is capable of cooking something so well.

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