Do these things when someone belittles you or tries to make you feel small.

Some people carry an air of superiority—arrogant, pretentious, certain they’re above others—and they don’t hesitate to show it. When you encounter that mindset, here are practical ways to handle it and navigate those relationships.

1. Set boundaries

Boundaries guard your emotional and mental well-being. Enforce them politely but firmly. If you respond with anger, you hand them ammunition to paint you as unreasonable and rally others against you. Calm, courteous limits deny them that leverage.

2. Stay confident in yourself

People who elevate themselves by pushing others down need you to shrink so they can feel taller. Don’t let their behavior define your self-worth. Keep your feet on the ground by focusing on your strengths and what you do well. When you cave inward, you make it easier for them to step over you.

3. Don’t take it personally

Their superiority complex says more about their insecurity than about your value. Secure people don’t need to degrade others—confidence lifts, it doesn’t crush. Remind yourself their treatment is a mirror of their inner world. It’s difficult, but remember they wouldn’t act this way if they were content and secure.

4. Respond with empathy

Empathy means trying to understand what they feel and where it comes from. It doesn’t mean excusing poor behavior or letting them walk over you. Ask yourself what experiences could produce such insecurity; often it springs from pain or trauma. That perspective won’t make their conduct acceptable, but it can keep you stable and less reactive.

5. Lean into their behavior

Avoid one-upping. If you escalate, they escalate, and the conflict grows. Sometimes the smarter move is to lean in strategically: ask for their input on a task or apply one of their solid ideas and acknowledge it openly. It’s not about letting them “win”; it’s about not getting dragged into a contest you can’t actually win.

6. Be direct when necessary

Keep communication simple, factual, and concise. The more precise you are, the less room they have to twist your words. Facts are hard to dispute, especially if you refuse to argue over semantics. If they veer off-topic or nitpick to score points, bring the conversation back to the central issue and stay there.

7. Don’t compete

Steer clear of head-to-head competition if you can. They’re likely to push further and harder because their motives aren’t grounded in reason. Focus on your own responsibilities and advocate for yourself when needed. Protect your contributions—people with this mindset may try to claim credit for your work.

8. Use humor

A light, well-timed comment can defuse tension and short-circuit arrogance. Humor interrupts the emotional build-up and shifts the mental track from confrontation to interpretation. They may not laugh, but the disruption alone can prevent escalation.

9. Lean on supportive people

If you’re stuck in an environment—often a workplace—where you must spend substantial time with someone who tears you down, seek out allies. Supportive friends, colleagues, and loved ones help you stay grounded and remind you of your worth when negativity wears you thin.

10. Walk away

Sometimes the healthiest option is to leave the situation. Of course, that’s not always immediately possible—in families or jobs, ties can be complicated. If you can’t exit, limit contact and create distance. The “gray rock” approach—remaining neutral, uninteresting, and disengaged—can be effective. You don’t have to feed their need for drama to maintain your peace.

In short, protect your boundaries, hold onto your self-respect, don’t internalize their insecurity, and use empathy, clarity, and humor to manage interactions. Rely on supportive relationships, and when necessary, step back—or step away—to safeguard your well-being.