People With Nothing Interesting to Say Often Rely on These 12 Phrases

People With Nothing Interesting to Say Often Rely on These 12 Phrases

We all know someone who seems to have mastered the art of saying a lot without really saying anything.

They fill the air with words, but when the conversation ends, you realize nothing was actually discussed.

These people often rely on a handful of go-to phrases that sound like participation but really just keep things surface-level.

1. “It is what it is”

You know when someone drops this line?

They’re basically throwing up their hands and refusing to dig any deeper.

Instead of exploring why something happened or how it could be different, they shut the door on curiosity.

This phrase acts like a verbal shrug that ends the conversation before it can go anywhere meaningful.

When someone says this, they’re choosing comfort over curiosity, avoiding the effort of real reflection.

Next time you hear it, notice how it stops all momentum.

It’s the conversational equivalent of hitting a brick wall, leaving everyone with nowhere to go but silence.

2. “That’s crazy”

Here’s a phrase that sounds like someone’s listening, but really they’re just buying time.

When people say this, they’re acknowledging your words without actually processing them or adding anything valuable.

It’s a filler reaction that requires zero thought or genuine engagement.

They could be thinking about lunch, their next meeting, or absolutely nothing at all.

The phrase feels like participation, but it’s just noise.

Real conversation requires more than automated responses, and this one screams that the person isn’t willing to offer anything beyond surface-level acknowledgment of what you shared.

3. “Same”

One-word responses can be efficient, but this one is just lazy.

When someone replies with just this single word, they’re mirroring your experience without contributing any perspective of their own.

It’s like looking in a conversational mirror that only reflects back what you already said.

There’s no expansion, no new angle, no insight—just an echo that leaves the dialogue stuck in neutral gear.

True connection happens when people share their unique viewpoints and experiences.

This phrase takes the easy route, copying instead of creating, leaving both people exactly where they started with nothing gained from the exchange.

4. “It’s not that serious”

Want to instantly deflate someone’s enthusiasm or concern? Just drop this dismissive gem.

When people use this line, they’re essentially telling you that your thoughts and feelings don’t deserve attention or exploration.

It minimizes whatever topic you brought up, suggesting you’re overreacting or overthinking.

This shuts down the possibility of meaningful dialogue because it invalidates the very premise of discussing something important to you.

Conversations thrive when people respect each other’s perspectives, even if they differ.

This phrase does the opposite, creating distance and discouraging anyone from opening up or sharing what matters to them in future interactions.

5. “Facts”

Social media made this one popular, but it’s become the ultimate lazy agreement.

When someone just says this, they’re nodding along without bringing any original thought to the table.

Sure, they’re agreeing with you, but where’s their perspective?

Where’s the personal experience or unique angle that makes conversation interesting?

It’s surface-level validation that adds absolutely nothing to the exchange.

Real dialogue happens when people build on ideas, not just rubber-stamp them.

This phrase is conversational fast food—quick, easy, and completely unsatisfying.

It leaves everyone hungry for something more substantial but never delivers the nourishment of genuine engagement.

6. “Life is like that”

Resignation dressed up as wisdom—that’s what this phrase really is.

Instead of offering insight or exploring why things happen, it just accepts everything at face value without question.

People who lean on this are choosing passive acceptance over active thinking.

They’re not curious about patterns, causes, or solutions.

They’re just shrugging off reality as something that happens randomly without any deeper meaning.

But interesting people ask why and how.

They look for connections and understanding rather than just accepting things blindly.

This phrase is the opposite of that curiosity, offering vague acknowledgment instead of the kind of insight that makes conversations worth having.

7. “Can’t relate”

Nothing kills a conversation faster than someone announcing they can’t connect with what you’re saying.

Instead of trying to understand or asking questions, they just slam the door shut with this blunt refusal.

It’s a conversational dead end that says they’re not even willing to try to see things from your perspective.

Rather than bridging differences or finding common ground, they’re highlighting the gap and walking away from it.

Meaningful exchanges happen when people stretch beyond their own experiences.

This phrase does the exact opposite, keeping everyone isolated in their own bubbles with no chance of real understanding or connection developing between them.

8. “That’s tough”

Token sympathy at its finest—this phrase sounds caring but rarely invites any real follow-up.

People use it when they want to seem supportive without actually investing emotional energy into understanding your situation.

It’s the conversational equivalent of a participation trophy: technically present, but not really earning anything.

The words are there, but the genuine interest and engagement are completely absent from the delivery.

Real empathy asks questions, offers perspectives, or shares similar experiences.

This phrase just acknowledges difficulty exists and then moves on quickly, leaving the person who shared feeling heard but not truly understood or supported in any meaningful way.

9. “Yeah, that happens sometimes”

Generic empathy that feels like it was generated by a robot—that’s what this phrase delivers.

It acknowledges your experience in the most noncommittal way possible, without offering any real emotional connection or insight.

When someone says this, they’re checking the box labeled “respond to what they said” without actually engaging with the content.

It’s automated, predictable, and completely forgettable because there’s nothing personal or thoughtful about it.

Conversations that matter involve people sharing themselves, not just reciting empty platitudes.

This phrase keeps everything at arm’s length, maintaining safe distance while pretending to participate in a meaningful exchange that never actually materializes.

10. “I don’t really have an opinion on it”

Neutrality can be a choice, but using it as a conversational escape hatch is just avoidance.

When people say this, they’re refusing to engage with the topic at all, even in a thoughtful way.

Everyone has thoughts and reactions to things, even if they’re still forming or uncertain.

Claiming complete neutrality is often just a way to avoid the effort of thinking through something or risk sharing a perspective that might be challenged.

Interesting conversations happen when people are willing to explore ideas, even tentatively.

This phrase shuts that down completely, turning what could be an exchange of thoughts into a dead end where nothing gets discussed or discovered.

11. “I mean, what can you do?”

Helplessness disguised as a question—that’s the essence of this phrase.

Instead of brainstorming solutions or exploring options, it just throws up its hands and quits before the conversation can go anywhere productive.

People who use this are resigning from the discussion rather than participating in it.

They’re signaling that they don’t want to think about possibilities, alternatives, or ways to approach whatever’s being discussed.

But here’s the thing: there’s almost always something you can do, think, or explore.

This phrase chooses powerlessness over engagement, keeping everyone stuck in passive acceptance instead of moving toward understanding, problem-solving, or even just interesting speculation about what might be possible.

12. “Whatever”

If there’s a hall of fame for conversation killers, this phrase would be the first inductee.

It’s a clear, unmistakable signal of complete disinterest that instantly shuts down any chance of meaningful dialogue.

When someone says this, they’re not just ending the current topic—they’re closing the door on emotional connection itself.

It communicates that they don’t care about what you’re saying, how you feel, or whether the conversation continues at all.

Nothing deflates enthusiasm or kills engagement faster.

It’s dismissive, cold, and leaves the other person feeling unheard and unvalued.

Real conversations require mutual interest and respect, and this single word destroys both in one fell swoop.