A complisult, as
Urban Dictionary will tell you, is a "compliment that is really an insult".
For example, I could tell my girlfriend that "Your makeup looks great today. It really covers up your complexion." Ok maybe that's a little brutal, but that's the point of a complisult: it sounds like a compliment, but it's really an insult.
Recently, a reader wrote in with a
post about a Pussycat Doll... and called her "cute", "nice", and "adorable".
Wow. These words were meant as compliments... but they really are insults (e.g. they are the perfect complisult).
The word "cute" is a word made up by girls to make each other feel good. There's nothing wrong with girls feeling good about themselves. HOWEVER.
Don't fool yourself. If a guy says a girl is cute, he is reaching for a word at the end of a very long list of compliments. Here is the complete list of compliments, listed roughly in order:
- Hot
- Sexy
- Beautiful
- Pretty
- Cute - This is just barely on the list.
But at least cute is on the list. If I use certain words, I actually mean that the girl is unattractive. These are basically Super Complisults: they sound like compliments, but every guy knows they are clearly insults. Here they are:
- "She is adorable" - Translation: She reminds me of my little sister, in that I am not sexually attracted to her either.
- "She seems very nice" - Translation: Her best feature is that she isn't a raging lunatic.
- "She has a great personality" - Translation: She is so ugly that I feel like I have to bring up something specific to make up for it.
Sorry to be brutal, but I thought you should know.
Do you know anyone with a "great personality"?
Comments (148)
Ahhaha this made me laugh, so true. I find guys often bring it up if they're talking about a girl to their mates "was she hot?" "oh, well.. She was cute. Seemd real nice anyway"
ha ha ha-- not always true, but when it is it's so evident. thanks for the share.
Oh, that's cool.
I think smart would be a complisult...since if you really mean it, it should be intelligent :)
I think that compliment list is out of order. Both my dad and my boyfriend say that beautiful always goes before hot. My bf says that hot is for trashier girls and beautiful is for women with good looks and a "great personality", but really, and who is intelligent. But I say my friends are cute all the time so I hope they don't read this and think I think they are ugly!! : x
That's not a surprise. I think I would be a little insulted if a guy I liked said I was cute or adorable. I personally don't like the word hot, but I prefer that to those complisults.
BS. I like cute girls a lot more than "hot" girls. It is not a low rung on the hierarchy of attraction. Cute girls, to me, have more personality in their appearance than just T&A. "Hot" to me, is a waste of time.
Hahaha. I think that's quite the universal code of the guys. I've felt that way too.
cute has a good meaning to me. i tell people that alot, in a good way.
ME XDDD lol
"cute" is the only adjective on that list that isn't only dependent on physical features and/or sex appeal. sounds like a more encompassing compliment to me.
D: oh no, i call my friends cute all the time.
People always tell me I'm cute, but I know they are telling me "You aren't ugly [because no one thinks their friends are completely hideous right?] but you aren't in the pretty range either.]
I guess my shortness is 'cute' but really I'm kinda.... >->
But this post made me LOL. I was laughing my pants off at the end.
haha, funny stuff
hmm, I wonder how you describe your Girlfriend or fiance to your Mom. Do you say "Oh she's HOT!" or something like "She's Cute,Beautiful, with a great personality, But I REALLY mean it this time" lol But seriously, I just want to know how else you describe someone besides using some synonym for attractive
this is getting lame mancouch. this is supposed to be a site for men. infact, you should change the name to mancave. and i demand you make a post only on awesome sideboobs.
funny cause my girl is cute, nice, adorable, and has a great personality not to mention she is hot, sexy, pretty, beautiful and I don't want any other girl but her!
damn, this is getting sad.
I am called cute/pretty all the time.
thanks for making me feel ugly/unattractive and you just made everyone people around me sound like pedophiles or something
ha i have a great personality actually :)
You forgot one: Gorgeous! Some of you guys tend to use that one too from time to time, where would that fit in your hierarchy?
my bf always comment gals as "cute" referring to pretty, because HOT & SEXY often relate to something sexual~ which may not neccesary be a good thing all the time
huh lol
This is total bullshit to the max. Literally, nothing in here was on the mark at ALL. I'd go into details but I don't feel like typing all that out.
@MissPixieGlitter@xanga - You are so right
guys are losers!
Dear Mancouch Editors,
When a female calls you cute, it's a real compliment.
A woman is either attractive, or unattractive where I am concerned. A hierarchy doesn't seem to work for me here. Attractive/unattractive states very specifically whether or not I find their appearance pleasant. Words like "cute" "hot" or whatever do not seem specific enough to mean anything. I don't feel the need to sugar coat something. If she is unattractive, then I am honest. If I don't feel like being put on the spot, I make it known. No props.