10 specific words people with a low level of intelligence often say to sound smart

by Lachlan Brown | November 16, 2025, 1:55 pm

There’s a strange thing that happens when people feel insecure about their intelligence: instead of becoming curious, humble, or open, they often try to compensate with language.

You’ve probably seen it — people who pepper conversations with complicated words, not because the words fit naturally, but because they’re trying to create an impression. The goal isn’t clarity. It’s image. The intention isn’t communication. It’s camouflage.

Psychologists call this linguistic self-enhancement — using fancy vocabulary as a shortcut to appear more competent. Ironically, it often has the opposite effect.

Here are ten specific words people with a low level of intelligence often use to sound smarter than they are — and what genuinely intelligent people do differently.

1. “Actually…”

This is one of the most common “intelligence theatre” words. It’s often used as a prelude to correction:

“Actually, the real reason is…”

But in many cases, nothing meaningful follows. It’s simply inserted to create an aura of authority.

People who say “actually” constantly tend to be more concerned with appearing right than with being helpful. It’s a subtle way of asserting superiority, even when they don’t have the knowledge to back it up.

Genuinely intelligent people don’t weaponize the word. They reserve corrections for moments that matter.

2. “Literally” (when they don’t mean literally)

People often sprinkle “literally” into sentences to add dramatic force:

“I was literally dying.”

“He literally knows everything.”

The irony? Nothing is literal. It’s exaggeration disguised as emphasis.

Using “literally” incorrectly doesn’t make someone sound smarter. It makes them sound less precise — and often less grounded in reality.

Intelligent speakers aim for accuracy, not theatrics.

3. “Obviously”

When someone frequently uses “obviously,” it’s usually because they want to position themselves as the one who “gets it” while subtly implying others don’t.

“Obviously, anyone who knows economics understands this.”

Insecure people lean on this word to elevate themselves. But in communication, calling something obvious doesn’t make it obvious — it just reveals the speaker’s need to feel superior.

Real intelligence explains, without belittling.

4. “Irregardless”

This isn’t actually a correct word — but insecure speakers use it because it sounds sophisticated, even though it’s grammatically nonsensical.

It’s one of the clearest indicators of someone trying too hard to elevate their speech.

Smart people don’t chase complicated vocabulary — they prefer clarity over noise.

5. “Per se”

“Per se” can be a perfectly fine phrase — if used correctly. But when someone injects it into casual conversation unnecessarily, it screams insecurity.

“It’s not bad, per se, it’s just…”

Overuse suggests someone is trying to appear academic without actually contributing anything meaningful.

Highly intelligent communicators rarely rely on Latin flourishes. They use the simplest language that accurately expresses their meaning.

6. “To be honest…”

This phrase often shows up when someone wants to add weight to their point — or signal that what they’re about to say is extra intelligent or insightful.

“To be honest, I think the political landscape is shifting because…”

But here’s the truth: when people say “to be honest,” they’re framing their opinion as more authoritative than it is.

It’s linguistic inflation — trying to make ordinary statements sound profound.

Genuinely smart people don’t need to preface their thoughts with disclaimers. Their clarity speaks for itself.

7. “Utilize” (when “use” works perfectly)

There’s a certain type of person who chooses “utilize” in every context, believing it makes them sound more technical or intellectual.

“We should utilize this tool…”

“Let’s utilize our time efficiently…”

But here’s the truth: using a longer word doesn’t make the speaker smarter. It only makes the sentence heavier.

“Use” is simpler and clearer. Intelligent people prefer precision over pretension.

8. “Fundamentally”

On its own, “fundamentally” isn’t a problem. But when someone uses it constantly, it becomes clear they’re leaning on it to sound deep:

“The problem fundamentally lies in…”

“This is fundamentally a misunderstanding.”

The problem? The rest of the sentence often adds no depth.

Smart speakers don’t artificially inflate the importance of their ideas. They let the ideas stand on their own.

9. “Literature” (to describe things that aren’t literature)

People who want to sound intellectual sometimes misuse academic terms:

“There’s a lot of literature on relationships on TikTok.”

That’s not literature. That’s content.

Someone who misuses domain-specific language often reveals that they’re trying to sound informed without actually having expertise.

Genuine intelligence uses words within their proper contexts.

10. “Basically…”

People often start sentences with “basically” to sound like they’re offering a simplified, expert explanation of something complicated.

“Basically, the economy works like this…”

“Basically, what she meant was…”

But when someone uses it too much, it becomes clear they’re using it as a rhetorical crutch — not because the topic is complex, but because they want to appear like the source of certainty.

Highly intelligent people don’t speak in oversimplifications to appear smart. They speak clearly and humbly because they understand the limits of what they know.

So what do genuinely intelligent people do instead?

Real intelligence isn’t about the words you choose — it’s about the intention behind them. People who are naturally bright tend to communicate differently in a few important ways:

  • They prioritize clarity over complexity.
  • They admit when they don’t know something.
  • They avoid correcting others unnecessarily.
  • They use simple language to explain complex ideas.
  • They listen more than they speak.

And most importantly:

They don’t use vocabulary as a shield.

They don’t need to. Their confidence comes from understanding, not from appearing understanding.

Final thoughts

There’s nothing wrong with big words. The English language is rich, expressive, and beautiful. But when someone uses complicated vocabulary as a mask, it becomes obvious — and it usually signals insecurity, not intelligence.

Real intelligence is humble. It’s curious. It asks questions. It communicates clearly. It acknowledges nuance.

And the smartest people I’ve ever met — from meditation teachers to multimillionaire entrepreneurs to psychologists — all have one thing in common:

Their brilliance comes through in their clarity, not their complexity.

Their words aren’t impressive because they’re big. They’re impressive because they’re honest.

 

Lachlan Brown

Lachlan Brown is an entrepreneur and co-founder of Brown Brothers Media, a digital publishing network reaching tens of millions of readers monthly. He holds a Graduate Diploma of Psychological Studies from Deakin University, though his real education came afterward: a warehouse job shifting TVs, a stretch of anxiety in his mid-twenties, and the slow discovery that studying the mind is not the same as learning how to live well. He started experimenting with Buddhist principles during breaks at the warehouse and eventually began writing about what he was learning. That writing became Hack Spirit, a widely read personal development site, and his book Hidden Secrets of Buddhism became a bestseller. His work breaks down complex ideas into frameworks people can apply immediately, whether they are navigating a career change, a difficult relationship, or the gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it. Lachlan splits his time between Singapore and Saigon. He writes about high-performance routines, decision-making under pressure, digital innovation, and the intersection of Eastern philosophy with modern life. His perspective comes from having built things from scratch, failed at some of them, and learned that clarity comes from practice, not theory.