12 Funny Comebacks When Someone Says You Look Tired (Rated By Insult Level)

As a parent, you probably know what it means to be truly exhausted. After all, you’re running around and taking care of a busy little one: who could blame you? Well, we all know that special someone who will take the opportunity to tell you that you look tired. Now, there are a few ways you could deal with this kind of brilliant observation. You could simply smile and nod and ignore it (which is no fun) or come up with a blazingly funny comeback. We know which route we take!

Not Too Insulting

These are great comebacks if you want to make someone laugh and give the situation a light feeling without truly hurting the other person’s feelings. Try this with close friends, partners, parents, family members, bosses, and others. Don’t worry; we have some pretty juicy comebacks later that will leave strangers and enemies stunned.

funny comebacks when someone says you look tired

1. “I Have a Pretty Common Sleep Disorder: Children”

We love this comeback because it lets the other person know exactly why you’re tired and gives you a little room for sympathy. It’s also not too insulting and can remind them that many, many people on the planet likely look tired for the same reason. Try this one out for a funny, no-insult comeback that may slightly embarrass them but not upset them.

2. “Maybe I Shouldn’t Have Taken That Night Shift As a Superhero”

Superheroes are everywhere these days, and this comeback not only taps into that popularity but should bring a smile onto the face of whoever told you that you looked tired. After all, being a parent is a bit like being a superhero but without all the glory. Come up with a superhero name to give this comeback more zing, such as “Superdad” (though try to be more creative than that).

3. “It’s the Oddest Thing: Sleeping Three Hours a Night Will Do That To You!”

This comeback has a zing and a sting to it because it lets whoever asked you know that you know you look tired. Furthermore, it’s likely to get you a little sympathy for your exhaustion. Let’s be honest: parents deserve a little sympathy for the kind of work they put in with their kids every day. You’ll likely leave the other person feeling a little bad they said anything. Winner winner!

4. Oh Sweet, My Exhausted Parent Halloween Costume Worked!”

Now, if the person who said you looked tired is someone you care about or someone you can’t afford to insult heavily, you can try this comeback to get a good laugh. It not only lets them know that you look tired but makes a little joke of it. Of course, being exhausted as a parent is nothing to laugh about, and you deserve rest. But this comeback can diffuse the tension in a room.

Related post: Savage Comebacks For Rude Pregnancy Comments

Slightly Insulting

The following comebacks are good for those people who you want to leave slightly insulted but who you don’t want to burn bridges with entirely. For example, these might work with some friends (particularly those who are very patient) and co-workers. They’re also good for strangers if you don’t particularly care about their feelings at the moment but don’t want to be too harsh.

5. “You Say That, But I’m Actually Wide Awake”

This comeback is a slightly gaslighting statement but one that lets the other person know how silly they are by saying you look tired. Essentially, you’re questioning their powers of observation and letting them know that you’re aware that you look tired and that their statement was a little dumb. It’s a nice comeback that should leave them only slightly insulted.

6. “I Was Partying All Night At Your Best Friend’s House. You Weren’t Invited?”

We admit that this one’s a little childish, but sometimes you gotta be a little childish, right? With this statement, you’re insinuating that you have a fun and wild life, that you somehow ingratiated yourself into their friendship circle, and that they’ve been left out. If you want to get more insulting, you can bring in sex with their friends or family members, but that’s playing with fire.

More comeback ideas: Funny Ways To Say You Aren’t Pregnant

7. “Wow, Nothing Gets Past You, Huh?”

A classic comeback with a slightly insulting zing, you can easily adapt it for this silly situation and give the oh-so-observant person something to chew on. After delivering this insult, there are a few ways you can react. Some people will dig deeper by throwing out another line, like “You must be a hit with the ladies/men,” while others will laugh and lighten the mood a little.

8. “Sorry, You’re The 49th Person to Say That, Not the 50th, and Don’t Win a Prize!”

This insult is slightly insulting but doesn’t go over the top with it. The tone here is important. You need to act sincerely disappointed that they didn’t win while rubbing in the fact that you know you look tired and that it should be obvious to anyone. It will let them know that what they said isn’t appropriate without truly insulting or upsetting them too much.

Insulting (Use With Caution)

Danger, Will Robinson, Danger! We’ve come to the section with the most insulting comments, statements you should only save for total strangers, people who are being completely rude, or anyone you don’t care about upsetting. They cut right to the point and let them know that you don’t like what they said and don’t mind letting them know that it was quite stupid.

9. “Do You Always Ask Random People Stupid Questions?”

Try this comeback on a stranger who just had to let you know that you looked tired. Like the other comebacks in this section, it’s suitable if the person asking you is being rude or if they’re someone you don’t care about insulting heavily. It should abash anyone who comes at you with this stupid statement, but it may result in an argument, so be careful when you use it.

10. “I May Look Tired, But You Look Like an Idiot”

We know that this is a variation on the childhood taunt of “I may be ugly, but you’re stupid,” but there’s a reason that this insult has stayed so popular. It’s simply timeless and can be adapted to just about any situation. It says that your feeling of exhaustion is temporary and will go away with a simple night of rest. However, their idiocy and rudeness are likely permanent problems.

11. “I’m Tired From Raising My Kids to Be More Polite Than You”

We love this comeback because it a) lets them know that you’re a parent, b) that you’re annoyed with their rudeness, and c) shows that you’re above that rudeness. Now, does insulting someone who said you looked tired count as rudeness? Not in our book. We think it’s fair for an insulted person to defend themselves. You’re definitely not in the wrong in this situation.

12. “And the Most Worthless Comment of the Week Goes To…”

This devastating comeback lets the other person know that what they’ve said isn’t helpful or constructive and that you’re not happy with them. It basically puts what they said in a contest with everything else other people said that day and says that, yup, their statement was by far the stupidest. It’s the kind of comeback you need to save for someone you truly dislike.

Power Up! Comebacks For Unsolicited Parenting Advice

Why You Should Always Say Something

Now, we know that some of the comebacks here probably seemed a little insulting. Like a lot of parents, you might not feel comfortable “zinging” someone in this way and would rather just smile and ignore the comment. However, that’s only going to embolden that person to say similar things to you again and could leave a bad cycle of potentially insulting behaviors.

Simply put, too many parents put up with these kinds of “friendly comments” because, although they’re obviously insulting, they’re often presented as concerned advice. In other words, someone is letting you know that you look bad and that they don’t, and they want to rub it in to you. That said, there is a difference between someone insulting you and sincere concern.

It should be pretty easy to know whether someone is randomly insulting you or is actually legitimately concerned with you. Tone and context are everything, as is the person saying something. If it’s your best friend mentioning that you look tired and who asks if you need any help, these comments are not appropriate because you’re insulting someone who’s worried.

That said, you need to say something to just about everybody else who says that you look tired. You’re not just defending yourself but parents everywhere who have to put up with these types of comments every day. So, don’t be afraid to ruffle a few feathers here! As a parent, you’re working hard to raise a young one and don’t need the peanut gallery chiming in to point out the obvious.

Wrap Up – Funny Comebacks When Someone Says You Look Tired

We hope you found these ideas on how to respond to uncalled for comments helpful. Which of them are you putting up your sleeves? How do you handle these kinds of situations? Let us know in the comments!