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The best way to ask this would be to give a set of examples.

  1. You use a word not common in everyday usage, and someone asks you "who says that" in a negative fashion.

  2. you work obliges you to move frequently between indoors and outside. You wear sunglasses. You don't bother to take them off when you move inside; a coworker tells you people who wear sunglasses inside are insert demeaning pejorative here

  3. You wear a piece of clothing and someone asks or tells you something like "jesus who wears that anymore?"

    Someone who is overly critical? the closest word or Idiom I have seen for these is either Cavil, or "hater". No one really knows the word Cavil, and haters is far too MTV for me to use in conversation without throwing up.

    It doesn't necessarily need to be a single word, or idiom, but rather a way to respond to those overly critical people. the ones who try to put you down to make themselves feel better and/or who are overly concerned with behaviors of others that do not impact themselves at all.

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  • I was mostly okay with the question—until the last paragraph. What, exactly, are you looking for? Commented May 29, 2018 at 5:38
  • I want to accurately describe this behavior; preferably in some form of rebuttal. Ive never found a good conversational rebuttal to someone saying something like this, other than my two previous suggestions; Cavil, and 'Hater' respectively. I'd like to have something to say in return in the future if something like this occurs.
    – Phillip
    Commented May 29, 2018 at 5:40
  • Uttering "hater" is not a rebuttal or a response. That's a single word that describes something. If you're only looking for a single word, then talking about rebuttals and responses is confusing. Unless what you really mean is you want a single word that you can use in a response in some way? Commented May 29, 2018 at 6:30
  • Sorry for the vagueness. I'd like a sharp reply to the examples above. I'd like a single word or phrase that would aptly and preferably cuttingly describe it that I could use in a rebuttal. You should think of the rebuttal as more of the parry of a verbal jousting match. I hope that makes sense!
    – Phillip
    Commented May 29, 2018 at 6:43
  • Possible duplicate of What is a word for a person who constantly speaks negatively?. For the behaviour, curmudgeonism is given here. Commented May 29, 2018 at 8:01

1 Answer 1

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Consider these possible synonyms for hater:

Cynic
Egoist
Egotist
Misanthropist
Recluse
Skeptic
Isolate

I hope this was what you were looking for.

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