Total Phrases- 4535
1 of 402

Out-positive / Apology url

After a boss tells a worker that management won’t let him give the worker an expected raise

  1. I only wish I could have done more.
  2. I did the best I could.
  3. I’m sorry, my hands are tied.
  4. It might not make any sense to you, but that’s what they decided, and I hope you understand.
  5. I’m sorry that it’s not the answer you hoped for.
  6. My apologies that it took me longer to get the answer than I thought it would.
  7. I hope that we’ll be able to give you a better answer next time.
  8. I’m hoping this is something you can live with for the time being.
  9. I was told to explain to you that it’s due to circumstances beyond their control.
  10. Please give us a chance to make it up to you next time.

After a boss tells a worker that management won’t let him give the worker an expected raise

Out-positive / Apology
2 of 402

In-neutral / Acceptance url

Hearing the stock market went down

  1. I don’t know if it’s of comfort to any of us, but we’re all in the same boat.
  2. I have no gripe and no regrets, because I went into the situation with my eyes wide open.
  3. You win some you loose some.
  4. I can live with that.
  5. That’s show biz.
  6. What goes up has to come down.
  7. Oh, well.
  8. I saw the handwriting on the wall.

Hearing the stock market went down

In-neutral / Acceptance
3 of 402

Out-neutral / Advice url

Restraint-3

  1. Loose lips sink ships.
  2. Don’t get all worked up.
  3. Take it easy!
  4. Keep it under wraps.
  5. Don’t spill the beans.
  6. Grab a hold of yourself, don’t you have any self-control?
  7. Keep it to yourself.
  8. Don’t go overboard.
  9. You can’t take the law into your own hands.
  10. You got a good thing going, and I wouldn’t drop it so fast if I were you.
  11. Let it drop.

Restraint-3

Out-neutral / Advice
4 of 402

In-negative / Explaining url

Apartment is a mess

  1. I can only do what I can do.
  2. I try not the pay attention to these things.
  3. What difference does it make anyway?
  4. There’s a method to the madness.
  5. I’m getting nowhere fast.
  6. I’m on a tight schedule, and it just doesn’t leave me time for these things.
  7. I’m strapped for time.
  8. You can understand, can’t you?
  9. In the large scheme of things, it doesn’t really matter, does it?
  10. I just have a different set of priorities than you do.
  11. I haven’t gotten around to it yet.
  12. Out of sight, out of mind.
  13. At least I know where everything is.

Apartment is a mess

In-negative / Explaining
5 of 402

Out-positive / Friendship url

Generosity

  1. Take to your hearts content.
  2. Whatever is mine is yours.
  3. My heart is overflowing with a desire to give to you.
  4. I want you to feel totally comfortable here.
  5. I want you to regard my house as your home away from home.
  6. If everything is not totally to your liking, just let me know.
  7. Allow me to do something for you for a change.
  8. Share and share alike.
  9. I’m at your beck and call.

Generosity

Out-positive / Friendship
6 of 402

In-positive / Surprise url

Learning that a friend is ill

  1. His illness came out of the blue.
  2. He’s never been sick a day in his life.
  3. I don’t know what to say.
  4. I didn’t expect that.
  5. It’s beyond comprehension.
  6. What brought this on?
  7. I still can’t believe it’s true.
  8. I’m in a state of denial.
  9. It came as a great shock.
  10. I found the news earth shattering.

Learning that a friend is ill

In-positive / Surprise
7 of 402

Out-neutral / Advice url

Accept it-1

  1. Come to terms with it.
  2. You can’t always get what you want.
  3. I don’t think you have a choice.
  4. You’d better get used to it.
  5. It’s a change for the best.
  6. You can’t make it last forever.
  7. Put it in the past.
  8. You did it of your own free will.
  9. It’s out of your hands now.
  10. Let’s face it.
  11. You have to put up with it.
  12. You got off lucky this time.
  13. No use crying over spilled milk.
  14. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
  15. Different strokes for different folks.
  16. The message is direct, clear, and in your face.
  17. You made your bed, now lie in it.
  18. Life has its twists and turns.

Accept it-1

Out-neutral / Advice
8 of 402

Out-neutral / Observation url

About Others – Negative-3

  1. She’s crying her head off.
  2. She’s a basket case.
  3. I think he’s gone bananas, and he’s lost some of his marbles.
  4. He’s stubborn as a mule.
  5. She’s cold as a cucumber.
  6. He has no one to blame but himself.
  7. He’s an old fuddy-duddy.
  8. It’s bottled up inside of him.
  9. They’re at each others throats again.
  10. When he found out he was white as a sheet.
  11. I think she’s green with envy.
  12. A fool and his money are soon parted.
  13. Misery loves company.

About Others – Negative-3

Out-neutral / Observation
9 of 402

In-positive / Determination url

Head of a start-up

  1. We shall overcome.
  2. Let’s keep the ball rolling.
  3. There will be no exceptions.
  4. Every minute counts.
  5. Never say die.
  6. It’s not the mountain ahead that wears you out, but the grain of sand in your shoe.
  7. Let’s get to work.
  8. We have to use brute force.
  9. We can use all the help that we can get.
  10. It’s important that we do this right, and I don’t want any slip-ups.
  11. We’ll make it up as we go along.
  12. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
  13. It may be slow going but we’re making headway.
  14. We should milk it for all its worth.
  15. To make our strategy work, we have to make sure all our ducks are lined up.
  16. We're going to make it happen.
  17. There's nothing we can't do if we put our minds to it.
  18. We must have confidence in ourselves.
  19. It's up to us to make sure it happens.
  20. Let’s milk it for all it’s worth.
  21. We’re going to hit the ground running.
  22. In our struggle for success, I think we’ve finally turned the corner.
  23. Things are falling into place.

Head of a start-up

In-positive / Determination
10 of 402

Out-positive / Concern url

Meeting a friend who’s been up all night studying for a test.

  1. Perhaps you waited too long to take care of it.
  2. Have you’ve been burning the midnight oil?
  3. Next time try not to wait until the last minute.
  4. You’re working yourself to the bone.
  5. Perhaps you’ve bitten off more than you can chew.
  6. You should try to pace yourself better.
  7. Don’t worry about it, just do your best, and I'm sure that will be good enough.
  8. You shouldn’t save everything for the last minute.
  9. You’re burning the candle at both ends.
  10. Don’t bite off more than you can chew.

Meeting a friend who’s been up all night studying for a test.

Out-positive / Concern
11 of 402

In-positive / Confidence url

Given a new assignment at work

  1. I should have no trouble accomplishing the task.
  2. This will be one more feather in my cap.
  3. I know everything there is to know about it.
  4. It’s a piece of cake.
  5. Consider it done.
  6. I’ve done it once, and I can do it again.
  7. That’ll be no problem whatsoever.
  8. I can knock that off in no time flat.
  9. I can get through this in no time at all.
  10. I know where it’s at.
  11. Now we're getting into a whole new territory.
  12. That’s very do-able.
  13. That will be carried out to the letter.
  14. That’s as easy as pie.
  15. I’m going to get it done in two seconds flat.
  16. My head is still above water.

Given a new assignment at work

In-positive / Confidence
12 of 402

In-negative / Disappointment url

Getting a speeding ticket

  1. I have no one to blame but myself.
  2. I need that like a hole in the head.
  3. That’s what I was afraid of.
  4. That’s the last thing I wanted.
  5. What a shame!
  6. That’s just my luck.
  7. It happens to the best of us.
  8. But I don’t have to like it, do I?

Getting a speeding ticket

In-negative / Disappointment