Total Phrases- 4535
1 of 402

In-negative / Explaining url

Throwing out a bag of laundry by mistake

  1. How was I supposed to know?
  2. What did I do this time?
  3. That never would have occurred to me.
  4. I wish I had known.
  5. I had no way of knowing.
  6. OK, I’m not perfect.
  7. I apologize profusely.
  8. It was totally unintentional.
  9. There’s nothing I can do about it now.
  10. My humble apologies.
  11. Sorry about that.
  12. If I knew what I was doing, I certainly wouldn’t have done it.
  13. I certainly didn’t do it on purpose.
  14. They looked so similar that I had no way of knowing.
  15. It came as a surprise to me.
  16. I’m awfully sorry.
  17. How was I supposed to know that?

Throwing out a bag of laundry by mistake

In-negative / Explaining
2 of 402

In-negative / Doubt url

Someone saying he’s going on a new starvation diet

  1. It’s too high a price to pay.
  2. What gave you that idea?
  3. I just can’t picture it.
  4. You can’t believe everything you read.
  5. Boy, do you bounce from one extreme to another.
  6. I have a sneaking suspicion that you’re wasting your time.
  7. I’m sure you will, but I don’t give it much of a chance of success.
  8. The odds are against it.
  9. Where have I heard all of this before?
  10. I hope you know what you’re doing.
  11. You’ve got to take it with a grain of salt.

Someone saying he’s going on a new starvation diet

In-negative / Doubt
3 of 402

In-positive / Confidence url

Suggesting a new sales strategy at work

  1. You bet your bottom dollar.
  2. I’m going to hit it out of the ballpark.
  3. I know what’s at stake.
  4. You can count on it.
  5. The sky’s the limit.
  6. There’s plenty more where that came from.
  7. It’s working like a charm.
  8. There’s no question about it.
  9. It’s going to knock your socks off.
  10. Take it from me.
  11. With any luck at all we’ll be able to get to the next level.
  12. I’m going to knock it out of the park.
  13. When you look at my plan you'll see that it all adds up.
  14. I knew it right off the bat.
  15. I’m firing on all cylinders.
  16. Things are really starting to click.

Suggesting a new sales strategy at work

In-positive / Confidence
4 of 402

Out-negative / Anger url

You disgust me

  1. What you did really turns my stomach.
  2. You make me sick!
  3. You’re one of nature’s greatest disasters.
  4. I’m not even going to honor your insulting comment with a reply.
  5. You’re a wise guy.
  6. You’re more trouble than your worth.
  7. You really get on my nerves.

You disgust me

Out-negative / Anger
5 of 402

Out-positive / Agreement url

I need you to stop looking at your cell phone while you’re talking to me

  1. You have my undivided attention.
  2. I hear you loud and clear.
  3. You’ve got a good point there.
  4. That sounds fair to me.
  5. You have my word.
  6. I’m slowly coming around to your way of seeing things.
  7. As you wish.
  8. I know what you mean.
  9. I can relate to that.
  10. I stand corrected.
  11. I read you loud and clear.

I need you to stop looking at your cell phone while you’re talking to me

Out-positive / Agreement
6 of 402

Out-neutral / Advice url

Caution-2

  1. Leave it well enough alone.
  2. You’ll regret it in the morning.
  3. Let sleeping dogs lie.
  4. Don’t stir up a hornets nest.
  5. It’s going to backfire on you.
  6. Don’t rock the boat.
  7. Your actions might actually make it harder for you to accomplish what you want.
  8. Those are famous last words.
  9. Take it one step at a time.
  10. Sink your teeth into it, and take your time to appreciate the pros and cons of the new situation before you call it a day.
  11. Hold that thought.
  12. You lucked out on that one, but next time you may not be as lucky.
  13. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
  14. It’s always good to ask.
  15. It's spreading like wild fire.
  16. Don't count your chickens before they hatch.
  17. Don’t jump the gun.
  18. Don’t even think about it.
  19. You’re leaving yourself wide open.
  20. I understand how much you want it, but it costs an arm and a leg, and it’s just not worth it.
  21. Easy does it.

Caution-2

Out-neutral / Advice
7 of 402

Out-neutral / Advice url

Skeptic

  1. The chances of that happening are pretty close to zero.
  2. If you believe that I have a bridge to sell you.
  3. Nothing lasts forever.
  4. You can’t believe everything you hear.
  5. I wouldn’t be so sure if I were you.
  6. It’s not worth it.
  7. I think you’re expecting something that’s not realistic.
  8. I don’t think that’s such a good idea.
  9. Lightning never strikes twice in the same spot.
  10. That’s not a good idea.
  11. There’s more to it than meets the eye.
  12. You can’t judge a book by its cover.
  13. It’s not what it’s cracked up to be.
  14. Take it with a grain of salt.
  15. You have to read between the lines.

Skeptic

Out-neutral / Advice
8 of 402

Out-neutral / Negotiating url

Try to negotiate correctly & fairly-1

  1. Somehow you’re making me feel guilty about what we both know took place out of the blue.
  2. Come on, out with it, spill the beans, and fess-up, because to tell you the truth I expected it all along.
  3. Please, hear me out!
  4. You couldn’t possibly object.
  5. Give me a fighting chance.
  6. You owe me that much.
  7. You just don’t want to admit it.
  8. Come on, be real!
  9. Please do your utmost to pay attention, and keep your mind on the subject.
  10. Let me be the judge of that.
  11. Be straight with me.
  12. Are you trying to pull the wool over my eyes?

Try to negotiate correctly & fairly-1

Out-neutral / Negotiating
9 of 402

In-positive / Realizing url

Hearing that a company went bankrupt

  1. That was patently obvious to anyone who gave it more than two seconds of thought.
  2. The secret is out.
  3. There’s been trouble brewing for a long time.
  4. I saw it right off the bat.
  5. Another one bites the dust.
  6. From what I understand, this is what really happened.
  7. The fact is I’ve been expecting that to happen all along.
  8. In the end, what do they have to show for it?
  9. Seeing is believing.
  10. I had a hunch that that’s what was happening.
  11. We should have seen it coming.
  12. I’m well aware of it, but I denied it to myself.
  13. It’s the same old problem all over again.
  14. That’s it in a nutshell.

Hearing that a company went bankrupt

In-positive / Realizing
10 of 402

Out-neutral / Advice url

Restraint-2

  1. Don’t let the cat out of the bag.
  2. Don’t make matters worse.
  3. Keep it under your hat.
  4. Get a hold of yourself.
  5. Just try not to go overboard doing it, both in terms of time and money.
  6. Get control of yourself.
  7. Button your lip.
  8. Try and get a hold of yourself.
  9. I know that may feel good to speak your mind and get things off your chest, but sometimes it’s better just to bite your tongue.

Restraint-2

Out-neutral / Advice
11 of 402

Out-positive / Agreement url

Can I borrow a book, if I give it back within a week?

  1. By all means.
  2. No problem.
  3. I don’t mind a bit.
  4. Okie dokie.
  5. I don’t have any objection.

Can I borrow a book, if I give it back within a week?

Out-positive / Agreement
12 of 402

Out-neutral / Advice url

Conserve your resources

  1. A little bit goes a long way.
  2. Don’t wear yourself out.
  3. Get your act together.
  4. Keep your head above water.
  5. Make the best of what you have.
  6. Waste not want not.
  7. Take it easy.
  8. Don’t bite off more that you can chew.
  9. Do it yourself.
  10. Just go about your business.
  11. Conserve your strength.
  12. Ease your way into it.

Conserve your resources

Out-neutral / Advice