Talking about people we don’t like is part of everyday life.
Maybe it’s a colleague at work, a classmate, or even a character in a book or film. But in English, it’s important to know how to express dislike — sometimes politely, sometimes more directly — depending on the situation.
In this guide I will show you useful vocabulary, polite and strong expressions, cultural notes, and discussion questions to practise.
Teachers can use it as a basis for a lesson plan, and learners can use it to improve confidence in real-life conversations.
1. Useful Vocabulary
Here are some words you can use when talking about people you dislike.
Mild Adjectives (less strong)
- Annoying – someone who irritates you a little.
Example: “My neighbour is so annoying because he plays loud music at night.” Difficult – someone who is hard to deal with.
Example: “She’s a difficult person to work with.”Rude – someone who doesn’t show good manners.
Example: “The waiter was very rude to us.”Selfish – someone who only thinks about themselves.
Example: “He’s selfish — he never shares with anyone.”
Stronger Adjectives (more negative)
Arrogant – someone who thinks they are better than others.
Example: “He’s so arrogant, he never listens to other people’s ideas.”Manipulative – someone who tries to control others for their own benefit.
Example: “She can be manipulative, always getting people to do what she wants.”Toxic – someone who has a very negative effect on others.
Example: “That relationship is toxic; it makes everyone unhappy.”Unbearable – someone or something that is too difficult to tolerate.
Example: “His behaviour is unbearable — nobody wants to be around him.”
Nouns
Rival – someone you compete with.
Example: “He’s my main rival at work.”Bully – someone who hurts or frightens weaker people.
Example: “The bully at school made life hard for many students.”Enemy – someone you strongly dislike, often the opposite of a friend.
Example: “They used to be friends, but now they’re enemies.”Opponent – someone on the opposite side in a competition.
Example: “Her opponent in the debate was very strong.”
👉 Classroom idea: Create a “word bank” with these adjectives and nouns. Then add the opposite words: polite ↔ rude, generous ↔ selfish, etc.
2. Polite Ways to Express Dislike
Sometimes you don’t want to sound too negative. Here are softer ways to say you dislike someone:
“I don’t really get along with him/her.”
“We’re not on the best of terms.”
“He/she can be a bit difficult.”
“I find him/her hard to work with.”
Notice how words like a bit or can be make the expression softer.
Using modal verbs helps too:
“He might be a little selfish.”
“She seems difficult sometimes.”
👉 Classroom activity: Role-play a polite conversation. One student asks about a colleague or classmate, the other replies using polite phrases.
3. Stronger Ways to Express Dislike
Sometimes you want to be clear and direct. These are stronger expressions:
“I can’t stand him/her.”
“He/she drives me crazy.”
“I really dislike working with him/her.”
Idioms (natural English expressions)
Get under my skin – to really annoy you.
Example: “His constant complaining gets under my skin.”Rub me the wrong way – to irritate you, often without reason.
Example: “I don’t know why, but she just rubs me the wrong way.”We don’t see eye to eye – to disagree with someone.
Example: “My boss and I don’t see eye to eye on many issues.”
👉 Classroom activity: Matching exercise — students match idioms with their meanings and use them in short sentences.
4. Cultural Notes
British English often prefers indirect, polite language:
“We don’t always see eye to eye.”
American English is sometimes more direct:
“I can’t stand him.”
In many cultures, how directly you talk about dislike depends on the situation (formal workplace vs chatting with friends).
👉 Teacher tip: Ask students how people in their own culture express dislike. Compare with English expressions.
5. Discussion Questions
Who is a character from a film or book you dislike? Why?
How do people in your country usually talk about people they dislike?
Is it better to be polite or honest when talking about someone you dislike?
Can you think of a time when you had to be polite about someone you didn’t like? What did you say?
Do you think using humour is a good way to talk about people you dislike? Why or why not?
Which of the idioms in this lesson do you like best? Can you use it in your own sentence?
Are there similar idioms in your language for talking about dislike?
Conclusion
Talking about people you dislike in English requires the right vocabulary and the right tone.
Sometimes you need to be polite, other times you can be direct.
By practising with words, idioms, and discussion, learners can gain confidence and avoid misunderstandings.
Teachers can use the activities here for vocabulary practice, role-plays, and cultural comparisons.
Learners should remember: in English, what you say is important — but how you say it is just as important.
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