Something to Think About Consider that the know-it-all may display this personality trait because of a deep-seated insecurity and lack of confidence. Some people who feel inferior try to act superior as a defensive mechanism.
Know-it-alls may have a cluster of personality characteristics, including impulsivity, poor listening skills and an inability to read social cues. These could be symptomatic of certain mental disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or narcissistic personality disorder.
Key points. A "know-it-all" may be trying to compensate for an underlying insecurity. A "know-it-all" who has a fear of intimacy may try to instigate debate to feel a sense of connection without getting too close. Dealing with a know-it-all does not require seeing them as they want to be seen, or catering to that need.
synonyms for know-it-all
Most relevant. smart aleck. wise guy. braggart.
This situation is often best handled by calmly but assertively stating your position, accepting responsibility verbally, and tempering your expectation that the other side will do the same. By proactively admitting your own role in the argument, you take some power away from them.
omniscient. adjective. om·ni·scient äm-ˈnish-ənt. : knowing everything.
Use the adjective pretentious as a way to criticize people who try to act like they are more important or knowledgeable than they really are.
arrogant. having or showing the insulting attitude of people who believe that they are better, smarter, or more important than other people : having or showing arrogance.
There are many words to describe someone who always needs to be right, including indomitable, adamant, unrelenting, insistent, intransigent, obdurate, unshakeable, dictatorial.
Things You Should Know
Be assertive but respectful to stop teasing from going any further. Take care of yourself and manage stress. Understand that put-downs are a reflection of the other person's insecurity and get support from trusted confidantes.
Set boundaries.
Make it clear that if they don't respect the boundaries, you will walk away. If, for example, your friends tease you about your looks, tell them that you are not okay with it and will not tolerate it. The moment they begin to engage in the behavior, you should end the conversation and walk away.
People who are well-rounded might seem “good” at everything because they are well-connected. In truth, they might be generalists who just try many activities. Being open to new experiences, though, is in fact a good thing.
Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a long-term, mental health condition. NPD causes you to think that you are more important than other people.
Noun. sophomania (uncountable) A delusion of having superior intelligence.
A narcissist is a common catchphrase describing someone who acts self-absorbed or vain.
KEY TAKEAWAYS. You can call someone “incorrigible” if they refuse to change their behavior because they see nothing wrong with it. Someone who knows they are in the wrong but refuses to admit it is “stubborn.”
While psychological issues may be at play, environmental factors also need to be taken into consideration when evaluating such individuals. A person who always has to be right often has unmet needs in their social, home, or work life. While this may provide insight into their defensive behavior, it doesn't excuse it.
The science of skill acquisition has been the focus of a number of recent studies and books. As it turns out, we are born with very few, if any, natural talents and skills. Excellence is borne not of any particular innate ability, but of practice. In other words, you can be good at whatever you want.
While the term "multipotentialite" is often used interchangeably with polymath or Renaissance Person, the terms are not identical.
You can think of a polymath as a classic "Renaissance man." Imagine Leonardo da Vinci, for example, who was not only an amazing artist, but also an engineer, inventor, mathematician, and much more. When a person's knowledge covers many different areas, he or she is a polymath.