More often than not, we notice the not-so-bright people walking around us, blaring their extreme opinions while being completely uninformed on the subject. It’s one of life’s great mysteries—those of lesser intelligence tend to overestimate how clever they are, while smart people do the exact opposite.
So when user blissfulhavoc posted “What is a subtle sign that someone is intelligent/sharp?” on r/AskReddit, fellow members quickly rolled up their sleeves. It seems that clever people might not advertise the fact that they’re smart but others sure do notice it. Hundreds started sharing their opinions about the tell-tale traits that prove someone is bright and sharp.
Find the best answers We has collected from this viral thread right below, and share your thoughts with us in the comments. Psst! After you’re done, be sure to check out our previous post on even more signs that might prove you’re smarter than you think.
#1
When they don’t know something they look it up immediatly. They can’t stand not knowing because they are curious about it and want to know more.
#2
I think there are so many different types of intelligence that it’s hard to narrow down one defining trait. Social intelligence, spatial intelligence, problem solving, etc.I’m from a very rural area with a high poverty rate. I grew up working on a cattle ranch. One of the guys I worked with had to drop out of school in 4th grade to work full time doing agricultural work for his family. He had to work really hard as an adult to reach even a 6th grade reading level. He doesn’t read for pleasure, and by the standards of an educated, urban person, he’d be considered pretty ignorant. However, he can build anything. Fences, mechanical things, buildings, sprinkler systems, you name it. He’s funny as hell, and as a kid working around him I had no idea he was barely literate until his 30s.One of my brothers is absolutely brilliant. Well read, follows world politics, works in IT at a high level. He’s the smartest person I know, easily, in terms of processing complicated information and retaining it in a useful way. He could absolutely build a computer, but put him on a horse and ask him to go get cattle off the back forty or repair a fence and… no way. He’s also good company, but not always the most socially adept, in that he has almost no street smarts and doesn’t understand concepts like flattery, or other mostly harmless ways that people manipulate those around them as a social lubricant.Which one of them is smarter? Depends on what you need them to accomplish.
#3
They ask questions. Smart people don’t get smart by acting like they know everything.
While intelligence comes in many forms, we all probably have a stereotypical image of a clever person in mind. You could picture them sitting in the library, surrounded by books. Perhaps they are wearing glasses and seem a bit socially awkward. Or maybe they always have fascinating facts on hand to keep the conversation going. The truth is, bright people have many different traits, and a high IQ test is not the only way to measure a person’s mental abilities.
“A highly intelligent person is one who is flexible in their thinking and can adapt to changes, they think before they speak or act, and they’re able to effectively manage their emotions,” Dr. Catherine Jackson, licensed clinical psychologist and neurotherapist, told Bustle. “In short, they possess several different types of intelligence, including but not limited to intellectual, social, and emotional intelligence.”
#4
They’re willing to consider different viewpoints when presented with compelling evidence, and accept when they make a mistake.
#5
A willingness to learnDumb ppl think they know everything so they don’t bother.
#6
The ability to change their mind when presented with new information. Intelligence is, at its core, a constant reassessment of your own knowledge and the ability to acquire and apply more.
One subtle trait that these people share is that they’re observant. “In a world where people talk to prove who they are, highly intelligent people are the opposite,” Jackson mentioned. Well, maybe you’re not exactly Sherlock Holmes, but noticing the little details and taking everything in can still suggest brilliance. Sharp people often refrain from loudly sharing their opinions and accomplishments. Instead, they prefer to remain quiet and observe their surroundings.
Also, understanding you can’t know it all is another low-key sign intelligent people have. “If they can’t do something, they don’t try and act as if they can,” the licensed clinical psychologist explained. “Instead, they know their limits and can admit it. This allows them to be open to learning more from others and/or situations.”
#7
They quite frequently explain things or answer questions with “it depends”. Intelligent people tend to have a hard time explaining something they know a lot about because it’s hard to boil any particular topic or object down to one portion of it or another rather than the way in which the whole interacts.When they do provide a straightforward answer that only singles out one component as the explanation, it will be prefaced with a pretty non-committal phrase like “I could be wrong, but…” or “generally,”. This is less reliable than an “it depends” though.
#8
They are aware of their limitations and just how much they still don’t know. As a consequence they also tend to underestimate themselves.
#9
They have a look. Their eyes look AT things/people, not THROUGH things/people. And that doesn’t necessarily mean direct eye contact (because a lot of people with ASD for example struggle with eye contact), but you can tell they are constantly observing, consciously looking at the world, not just witnessing it passively.
Next, they tend to go with the flow and don’t spend a lot of time worrying about things they can’t control. “Rather than being rigid about what must happen, they remain mentally flexible, open-minded and can easily adjust to life, no matter what gets thrown their way,” Jackson noted.
Andi Simon, Ph.D., a corporate anthropologist and an author of Rethink: Smashing the Myths of Women in Business, added that quick-witted people don’t ask questions for the sake of asking. They do so with purpose.
“Someone must have said this often-quoted line: ’Knowledge is having the right answer. Intelligence is asking the right question,’” she said. “We forget that all of life is a conversation. Intelligent people recognize that others have information and insights that through a shared conversation will help both grow, expand their wisdom and enhance their intellect.”
#10
I mean at this point, just believing the earth is a sphere is good enough for me.
#11
They don’t immediately attack you for having an unpopular view that’s different.Intelligence is being able to entertain an idea while not being convinced by it.
#12
They listen first and then speak or ask questions after understanding.The bright/intelligent people I know have an unusual ability to digest a situation and then posit a question or frame a position that cuts through the noise and advances everyone’s thought process.
So there are many ways to look at intelligence, but it’s clear that it goes beyond book smarts. Sharp people strive for lifelong curiosity and a never-ending thirst for knowledge. And if there’s one thing we can be sure of—their brain cells never seem to stop working.
#13
A very smart person once told me “if you walk away from any new challenge and didn’t learn anything, you weren’t paying attention”. Best advice I’ve ever heard.
#14
Quick wit and humor
#15
They listen instead of talk. A former CIA agent was asked this question and his answer was this because he said the quietest person in the room is listening to everything that’s being said which makes them the smartest and most dangerous.
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#16
I’m an industrial technician troubleshooter supervisor, And sometimes I have to work with the electrical engineers. The head engineer is highly intelligent, and the way and the order that he asks questions so he can come to an understanding of the Issue forces me to think in a process that hurts my brain. I don’t know how they can handle it Day In and Day out.
#17
They read. A lot. I’m sorry, but I’ve never met a truly intelligent person who wasn’t an avid reader.
#18
One of the most common is they stumble over words and/or have bad handwriting. Because their mouth and hand have trouble keeping up.
#19
They don’t partake in debates with loud ignorant people.
#20
They can explain difficult matter in an easy way
#21
They ask GOOD questions. Questions that indicate that while they don’t know the answer they have a damn good idea how to start finding it. They will ask fewer but better questions, confirm the answer by restating it first morning clarity, and often seek extra information or ask you too before making a decision.
#22
Mate at work is able to explain things perfectly. He does away with all the complicated jargon and explains things as if you’re a simpleton without making you feel like one.Asked him to have a look at my digital calipers a while back and, while he couldn’t fix it, he explained in detail what was wrong with it, how to fix it, and how the mechanism in question makes the calipers work.He’s an invaluable friend and a much better mentor.
#23
Waiting a few seconds to ponder a question before answering instead of blurting out the first thing that comes to mind.
#24
Two ways: – When it comes to a subject matter they know they can deconstruct in a way to explain it and use analogies to help it make sense to others. – With subject matter they don’t understand they will ask questions for their own comprehension and ask you for examples/analogies so they can frame the concept in their mind.
#25
Curiosity.
#26
when they drop an interesting “factoid” and you respond with “cool, i wonder if _______”, they have an answer for it, or at least a couple of different ideas, because they actually looked into it instead of just regurgitating it.the smart people i know are not comfortable having “shallow knowledge” about anything. if they do, then they don’t bring it up confidently. if they bring it up at all, it’s usually to ask questions from someone who knows more about it.
#27
They listen to every word you say and ask a follow-up question that you never even thought of, but ends up completely changing your way of thinking.
#28
One of my favorite Shakespearean lines is “brevity is the soul of wit”I think a measure of intelligence is to take in complex information and convey it in simple terms for others to understand.Conversely, I don’t think much of people who do the opposite to make themselves appear smarter than they are.
#29
Depends on the living arrangements. It’s hard to know from the outside. Intelligence is the ability to learn, retain, recall, apply, and abstract. Knowledge and Wisdom are not good indicators of actual intelligence.Intelligent individuals can be anything. They could be apathetic, or impassioned. They could speak like a thesaurus, or fumble simple sentences. They could seek tertiary education, or lack both a High School Degree, and a GED.Living situations dictate an individuals intellectual display more than personality quirks, so it’ll be complicated.
#30
In my experience, it’s the people that are always open to a constructive argument (or conversation, depending on their knowledge on the topic), regardless of the topic. One big condition: this only counts when they’re able to admit they don’t know everything on the topic, or ask people who know more about it to inform them.
#31
They are always trying to think a few steps ahead, they seem to do this without thinking about it (second nature), they think about how an action or series of actions might impact what they are doing and/ or how those actions can potentially get them towards their next goal.
#32
Those who can absorb new information and build it into their construct as opposed to denying its existence
#33
They can have a civil discussion/debate about sensitive topics. Usually this is displayed when you see talking about politicsI can see two people discussing something, completely agree with one and disagree with the other but the calmer more respectful one always comes off as more intelligent and has more respect from me
#34
The student in lecture whose questions always seem to clarify another student’s question, allow the teacher to expand on something significant, or propels a floundering lecture back on track. Same thing for staff meetings, all while never sounding patronizing or drawing attention to themselves.
#35
get funny instead getting angry
#36
They are often in pursuit of knowledge like, learning a new language, are very inquisitive, learning a new skill or trying out new things.
#37
Responding to someone who doesn’t agree with them by asking genuine questions ,getting their p.o.v. to be shared to gather whatever wisdom they may haveinadvertently getting said person to question their own belief/ opinion without the conversation never being anything resembling an argument.Listening doesn’t necessarily mean someone is smart but one becomes wise by saying as little as possible in a conversation over a long stretch of time
#38
It’s been said before but listening to people who they disagree with keenly and not being arrogant or rude in their response
#39
When you ask them three questions in a single sentence and they answer them in sequence. You are dealing with one seriously intelligent person right there
#40
Phonetically (but incorrectly) pronouncing high brow words. It means they learned them from reading and not from being around other smart people
#41
Being able to explain something to someone in a way that’s suited to that person’s level of understanding. Effective communication is highly underrated.
#42
They wear the required PPE for the job their doing. Too many dumbasses think that earplugs and goggles make you look like a pussy or something
#43
They observe more than they speak
#44
Humor, it’s and indication of out of the box thinking.
#45
In a work situation: someone who says little but when they do speak they do so clearly, concisely, decisively and with so much thoughtful meaning that often others need a few minutes to catch up to what they just said. They’re five steps ahead of the conversation in the room and cutting to the chase.
#46
They don’t try to flex how smart they are.
#47
Vocabulary. Not just using big words, but using them correctly. The problem with this is that it requires the listener to be smarter than the speaker. Fortunately, as others have said, the person who talks the most tends to be the person who knows the least.I’m a software developer. When I attend a conference, there is a roughly 50% chance that any given speaker will use the word “idempotent” within the first ten minutes of their talk. This is a big word, and it has a very specific meaning amongst the target audience (people with academic training in Computer Science.) If they use it incorrectly, and this has happened far too often, I get up and walk to whatever talk is happening next door, because this speaker is more interested in appearing to be smart than actually being smart.
#48
They don’t engage in petty arguments, they surround themselves with smarter people, they don’t act like know-it-all’s
#49
Very few and simple words that say profound things. And often in the form of inquisitive questions.Lots of people who act smart use large or excessive words that either don’t say anything, are used incorrectly, or leave people more confused about something than before they spoke.Stephen Hawking was a perfect example of someone who could take insanely complex theoretical concepts and explain them so a child could understand.
#50
Creativity. Abstract style thinking. The ability to have a meta-like approach to thinking about the world. Maverick. Bohemian. I love being around these people; it’s like being amongst magicians.
#51
They’re creative and original, and have vivid imaginations. Original turns of phrase. Original jokes and humor. A distinctive sense of style and aesthetics. Original doodles. A distinctive personal way of speaking and writing that’s natural and understated, not pompous or put-on. Those people who get asked by someone amused, “Did you just make that up?” and they modestly nod at their shoes and change the subject.
#52
Sarcasm.
#53
Considering the effects of their words and actions before they speak/act.
#54
When they don’t argue back, specially when provoked.
#55
The ability to make up and keep a running joke over the course of an evening. Humor.
#56
Silence and always being excited about learning new things.
#57
They are good at calm debates without resorting to insults, shouting or profanity, in addition to this they know how to listen well and are able to accept that the person they are speaking to may know more information on the subject than they do and therefore alow their opinion to be open to change should new information and/or evidence be presented; equally they do not put others down for not knowing something. They also do not interrupt.
#58
adaptability, the ability to analyse and direct accordingly
#59
they usually are open to learning something from you and they rarely get insecure / competitive about who knows what. They also many times make you laugh and are funny (not always)
#60
Someone who can roast tf out of anyone on the spot. I’m talking like joke after joke in quick succession. It requires quick-wit, creativity, and multiple different types of intelligences like social, verbal, and emotional. If someone is cracking on someone and they can read a crowd, use their environment and incorporate it, then I’m willing to bet that that person has a high chance of being intelligent.
#61
You don’t know their political leanings
#62
Compassion and attentiveness.
#63
Rapid speaking that isn’t just blabbling…i.e. saying complex things quickly. Also quickly responding in an in depth way to questions and comments.I’ve met really smart people who just seem to have a faster “clock speed” than most.
#64
Behave like a depressed 19th century Russian writer
#65
You can see them thinking.
#66
humility, indicates awareness of one’s limitations (willingness to learn may be included here)
#67
They never lose the flow of a conversation, you can tell them a ton at once about something totally new and they won’t miss a beat
#68
If they’re a lifelong musician, it’s almost a guarantee. It makes the brain sharper than almost any other activity you can do.