Though you might feel tempted to jump up and scream “Be quiet!” when someone interrupts you in the middle of a work meeting, that might not always be the best way to get a chronic interrupter to stop, let alone to uphold your own professional reputation. Instead, there are some truly brilliant phrases that put people who interrupt you in their place without making you look just as bad.
There are a wide variety of reasons why someone might interrupt you, including cultural and family background, a need for control, excessive excitement, gender differences, ADHD, anxiety, short-term memory issues, and a lack of awareness. Regardless of the reasons, being interrupted is understandably annoying, distracting, and frustrating, so knowing how to effectively bring the behavior to a halt is a must.
These are 11 brilliant phrases that put people who interrupt you in their place
1. ‘I’m not finished yet’
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The first brilliant phrase that puts people who interrupt you in their place is, “I’m not finished yet.” When you’re in a meeting or family reunion, having someone cut you off can feel downright disrespectful. When feeling irritated, it’s easy to let those pesky emotions get the better of you. However, it’s important to take a deep breath and make sure they know you weren’t done.
The other party might not even know they’re interrupting you until you point it out, so try doing so before going to more drastic measures. Though it might seem simple, letting someone know, “Hey, I’m not finished yet,” may reel in their excitement, causing them to mellow down and allow you to complete your thoughts.
2. ‘Let me wrap this up and then I’ll give you my full attention’
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Many people allow their excitement to get the better of them when they’re in social situations. Not knowing how to control themselves, they’ll interject in an attempt to add to the conversation. Though their enthusiasm is much appreciated, the reality is that nobody likes to be cut off.
However, being polite is important. After all, you can’t just tell your boss to be quiet, can you? This is why saying, “Let me wrap this up and then I’ll give you my full attention,” is so important. In truth, it’s the polite way to say, “Please be quiet.”
According to a study published in the Journal of Experimental and Social Psychology, people who felt disrespected due to rejection ended up experiencing an increase in aggression. So, it’s best to stick to polite talk and leave the sassy remarks for another day.
3. ‘Can you hold off for a moment?’
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Another brilliant phrase that puts people who interrupt in their place is, “Can you hold off for a moment?” Once again, being impolite won’t get you anywhere. Sticking to a polite but firm response is the best route to go.
Not only does this phrase drive the point home, but it also ensures that the other person doesn’t feel offended or upset by your response.
A study published in the International Journal of Conflict Management found that negative emotions during conflict lead to poor relationship satisfaction and performance. Knowing this, you should be wise in choosing how to inform someone that they’ve interrupted you.
4. ‘I’m getting to the point, please bear with me’
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One brilliant phrase that puts people who interrupt you in their place is, ‘I’m getting to the point, please bear with me.’ Sometimes people can lose their patience and become frustrated with the slower pace. It might feel unbearable to hear a coworker ramble on and on about the same subject, but cutting someone off isn’t the best route to take.
Marty Nemko Ph.D. explains that interrupting is rude no matter what the intentions are. He says that most people will feel utterly disrespected when they aren’t able to finish what they were going to finish. This is why people shouldn’t feel bad if ask others to hold on.
In truth, they’re calmly explaining their needs without being as rude and disrespectful as the other person. And if the other person is still insistent, Nemko suggests that you can try telling them to write down their question and save it for later.
5. ‘Just a second’
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The next brilliant phrase that puts people who interrupt you in their place is, “Just a second.” Playing the long game and beating around the bush won’t get you that far. During those tough moments when you don’t know what to say, do your best to keep it simple.
Saying, “Just a second,” can let others know that you’re not finished speaking and that you’d like for them to be quiet. Furthermore, expressing your emotions and not beating around the bush is great for preventing misunderstandings. This is important, as feeling misunderstood leads to an increase in stress and a decrease in life satisfaction and motivation, according to research from the International Association for Relationship Research. Showcasing just how important it is to be upfront and clear with what you need to say.
6. ‘Let me finish my sentence and then you can jump in’
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All too often, people jump into a conversation without allowing the other party to finish their thoughts. It’s unfortunate, but this innocent interruption can grow old as people grow frustrated with the lack of respect.
Experiencing constant disrespect, especially in relationships, can lead to negative consequences for both parties. According to a study conducted at the University of North Dakota and Oakland University, experiencing disrespect in relationships leads to less satisfaction, causing people to become less committed in their relationships.
Whether that be a friendship or romantic relationship, disrespect can cause you to distance yourself if they’re not careful. So be upfront and utter this phrase when you feel they’ve stepped in too far. Though intimidating, it allows people to be aware of their actions and cuts off resentment before it gets a chance to grow, allowing your relationships to remain intact as you both learn to be considerate when each of you begins to talk.
7. ‘You’ll have your chance to speak next’
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Another brilliant phrase that puts people who interrupt you in their place is, “You’ll have a chance to speak next.” Sometimes, people run out of patience while waiting to say what they need to say.
A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that emotional suppression gets rid of positive emotions and leaves only the negative emotions intact. That said, telling someone to politely be silent isn’t easy. Most of us would hate to be the villain or to come off as rude. But being blunt doesn’t always mean being rude — it means putting your foot down when push comes to shove.
Though a bit blunt, this phrase gets your point across and prevents any more interruptions from occurring, leading to a bit more peace of mind on your part.
8. ‘As much as I value your input, I’m still speaking’
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Sometimes you don’t mean to be mean to your friend or coworker. You love them to pieces and just want to keep things respectful and positive. But when push comes to shove, it can feel downright frustrating to feel invalidated or talked over constantly. During moments like these, it’s easy to shout or to be passive-aggressive in your replies. Rolling your eyes, you might feel tempted to reply with a scathing remark. But before you accelerate, it’s important to find other ways to diffuse the situation.
This is why saying, “As much as I value your input, I’m still speaking,” is so helpful. It gives your loved one the gentle reminder that you care for them while also reminding them to wait their turn.
Just be sure to follow up with a gentle tone or a pat on the shoulder. Otherwise, it might come off as passive-aggressive to the receiving party.
9. ‘One moment please, I’m still working on this’
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There’s no greater annoyance than people interrupting your workflow. Ask most people and they’ll tell you that being interrupted doesn’t just make them annoyed, it can also lead to incredibly high stress.
A study published in the Journal of Occupational Health, looked at the effects of notifications and found that constant interruptions lead to stress individuals work faster to get their work done. Researchers cited that this can cause a decrease in their overall well-being if they’re not careful.
This is why you shouldn’t feel too bad for telling people how you really feel. It gets your needs met, leading to less stress and more positivity in communication.
10. ‘Hold that thought for a moment’
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Whether you’re speaking or working, it can feel bothersome to have someone constantly asking questions. Most people are far too busy to sit down and get to everyone, as a 2018 Pew Research Center Survey found that 60% of U.S. adults feel too busy to even enjoy life.
That said, it’s important to make your needs clear. Most people truly don’t mean to interrupt you or to cause you trouble. So, by simply saying, “Hey, I need you to hold that thought for a moment,” you’re telling them, “I’m super busy and I don’t have time to get to you,” without the unnecessary rude or passive-aggressive behavior being thrown into the mix.
In turn, this will leave both parties feeling satisfied as one party doesn’t feel ignored and the other is able to finish what they needed to get done.
11. ‘I’ll address that after I say what I need to say’
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Finally, the last brilliant phrase that puts people who interrupt you in their place is, “I’ll address that after I say what I need to say.” It’s sad, but sometimes people will try to one-up you or make you look weak. Putting you on the spot, they’ll ask you ridiculous questions to try and throw you off your game. During these tough moments, you might feel tempted to respond quickly or to blurt out the first thing that comes to mind.
However, doing this will only make you look foolish in the end. This is why you should say, “I’ll address that after I say what I need to say.” Not only does it put a pause to their interruptions, but it allows you to have more time to think. Effectively putting the other person in their place while also giving you the time to either deflect or come up with a good enough response.
Marielisa Reyes is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in psychology who covers self-help, relationships, career, family, and astrology topics.
