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15 Phrases Women Use That Signal They Can’t Be Trusted and What They Really Mean

Updated on November 12, 2025 by TMM Staff · Dating & Confidence

A woman holding flowers looking toward the distance.
©Toa Heftiba/Unsplash.com

Trust is the most crucial component in any relationship, but sometimes, words illuminate intent much more than actions ever could. The way someone talks can subtly reveal red flags, gaslighting, and other adverse developments long before things start crumbling.

Some specific phrases women use may sound innocuous at first, but it is when they start using them repeatedly that you should get concerned. This might indicate a lack of honesty, potential betrayal, defensiveness, or discontentment with the relationship. It might also be a sign that she is no longer trustworthy.  Read on and learn how these certain phrases used by women can signal something is amiss with her in the relationship.

Table of Contents

Toggle
  • I am not like other Girls
  • My Ex was Crazy
  • I hate Drama
  • I Didn’t Lie, I just didn’t tell You Everything
  • Trust Me, You are Overreacting
  • I am Just Really Close with My Guy Friends
  • It’s Not what it Looks Like
  • I don’t Owe Anyone an Explanation
  • You are just Insecure
  • I Didn’t Think it was a Big Deal
  • I am Just being Honest
  • You are Lucky I Even Stayed
  • I was Just Joking
  • I Didn’t Mean to Hurt You
  • I Don’t Want to Talk About It
  • Final Thoughts

I am not like other Girls

A woman with pink heart-shaped sunglasses covering her eyes.
©tabitha turner/Unsplash.com

She might say it is a good thing, but it might not be coming from a place of confidence. She might be making a comparison with others and have a desire to be perceived as different. She doesn’t exude sincerity with this remark, and it might be an indicator of her having second thoughts about the relationship.

My Ex was Crazy

A woman wearing a black dress sitting on a bench.
©Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦/Unsplash.com

Every ex is the culprit and the driving factor for her previous relationship’s devastation. However, when she starts painting all her exes as the crazy ones, it might be suggestive of a blogger problem. It means that she might have been the actual reason her past relationships imploded. It means that she is to blame, and you might just join the ranks of the “crazy” exes once she’s done with you.

I hate Drama

A woman in a blue t-shirt and blue denim jeans sitting on a concrete floor during daytime.
©Hannah Busing/Unsplash.com

Those who constantly have to proclaim that they hate drama and chaos are the ones most inclined towards it. It shows that she loves uncertainty, instability, and drama in life but is oblivious to her role in perpetuating it.

I Didn’t Lie, I just didn’t tell You Everything

A woman with a disgusted expression against a dark background.
©Vitaly Gariev/Unsplash.com

This is just plain and open gaslighting now. A woman who says this can’t be trusted again. It means that she is wont to mention only those details that suit her but tends to leave out the more incriminating details. She is affirming that she will only tell the truth when it suits her and won’t be taking accountability.

Trust Me, You are Overreacting

A woman making a hand gesture with her hands.
©Anil Sharma/Unsplash.com

She is trying to manipulate you with this one, plain and simple. If she says that you are overreacting, then be warned: you most certainly are not. Your reaction is justified and the violation she committed warrants it. This phrase is intended to manipulate you into believing that you are in the wrong, and she’s overtly deflecting with this one.

I am Just Really Close with My Guy Friends

A group of boys and girls posing for a photo.
©Vitaly Gariev/unsplash.com

Friendships are fine, even with men. However, it is when she constantly starts uttering this phrase that you should get suspicious. It clearly means something more than friendship is afoot here. It might turn out to be nothing, but the odds are stacked against this development.

It’s Not what it Looks Like

A woman talking to a man at a table.
©Vitaly Gariev/Unsplash.com

This is the classic phrase that unreliable women utter when they are caught doing something reprehensible or contrary to the relationship. No matter how many times she says it, it probably is what it looks like.

I don’t Owe Anyone an Explanation

Side pose of a woman looking upwards.
©Ruben Mavarez/Unsplash.com

This phrase reflects an obstinate and obtuse resolve to remain closed up when asked about what a woman is hiding. She is asked to explain her actions, and this shows that there is something malicious that she would rather keep covered up.

You are just Insecure

A rude woman showing something on her phone to her boyfriend.
©August de Richelieu/Pexels.com

This is a classic manipulation move, where she tries to shift the blame onto you. She knows that she is in the wrong and tries to gaslight you into believing that you are to blame. She wants to chip away at your confidence and make you more pliant with this one.

I Didn’t Think it was a Big Deal

A man and a woman having an argument while sitting on a couch.
©Timur Weber/Pexels.com

This phrase clearly shows a disregard for taking accountability. She knows that what she did was wrong but clearly wasn’t expecting to be caught or called up on it. This also shows she is unconcerned with respecting boundaries in the relationship or dealing with emotional ramifications.

I am Just being Honest

A man holding his head in his hands and looking stressed while sitting on a bed with a woman in the background who’s telling him something.
©Curated Lifestyle/unsplash.com

There are instances where she might actually be sincere with this phrase. But this phrase is mostly used by her to criticize, say something cruel, and make an insensitive remark. She might be feigning honesty with this one, but her intentions are as dark as they come. This clearly shows that she can’t be trusted again.  

You are Lucky I Even Stayed

A couple having an argument while sitting on a couch.
©Vitaly Gariev/Unsplash.com

She uses this phrase to make you feel small, insignificant, and utterly dependent on her. It is an incredibly toxic and manipulative technique designed to eat away at your sense of self-worth. A woman who uses this phrase frequently is not worthy to be trusted or loved in the long run.

I was Just Joking

A woman sitting at a table looking at her cell phone.
©Brooke Cagle/Unsplash.com

This phrase is used by women when they have clearly violated some boundaries in the relationship. She might be in the midst of having fun at your expense, making a cruel joke, or flirting with another guy. She tries to hide behind this phrase like a shield against your expression or hurt or offense. It signals emotional immaturity and unreliability.

I Didn’t Mean to Hurt You

A man and a woman working on laptops while sitting on chairs.
©cottonbro studio/Pexels.com

Whatever her intent may be, it still doesn’t mitigate the impact. This phrase comes without any meaning or effort backing it. They are signaling change, but only superficially. There isn’t any resolve to actually change or make amends. It is only used for deflecting the issue temporarily so that she can repeat it again

I Don’t Want to Talk About It

A man and woman sitting on brown wooden chairs.
©cottonbro studio/Pexels.com

Needing space sometimes is fine, and everyone deserves to be left alone when they don’t want to talk about something. But this phrase is used repeatedly by women who want to use silence as a weapon for avoiding accountability. They want to eschew hard discussions because they can’t own up to their mistakes. This drains trust in a relationship and demolishes any chances of the couple staying together.

Final Thoughts

©brandon retratos/Pexels.com

Words carry weight, and they can sometimes reveal the intent hidden behind them. These words might seem insignificant to you, but do pay attention when your partner starts using them. Repeated and frequent usage might be indicative that something is seriously wrong. At the end of the day it is her actions that will determine the truth. But sometimes words can be just as conspicuous and effective at illuminating the rotten developments in a relationship.

Dating & Confidence

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About TMM Staff

The Modest Man staff writers are experts in men's lifestyle who love teaching guys how to live their best lives.

If an article is published under TMM Staff, that means multiple writers worked on it. For example, sometimes several of us have experience with a certain brand, so we collaborate to publish a more thorough review.

Or, if an article was originally written by one person, but then it was updated by someone else, we'll re-publish it under TMM Staff.

Remember: all of our articles (including those below) are written by real people with decades of combined experience in men's fashion and lifestyle topics.

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