Learn English – Word/Phrase for an unnecessarily rude response

idiom-requestsphrase-requestssingle-word-requests

Assume P1 is a customer and P2 is an organization representative.

P1 is trying to minimize his/her hassle by staying loyal and trying to stick with the services offered by P2's organization, but P2 is responding in an unnecessarily rude and passive-aggressive manner.

A typical conversation could be like:

P1 (dejected and decided about leaving): "I would have really preferred to stay with you guys."

P2 (faking sincerity, donning a concerned looking expression, and, speaking in a concerned sounding tone): "Yeah… me too."

P2's response could be because of cultural conditioning or even due to a personal disposition, from his/her past, to respond to someone indicating that they are upset with their attitude and are done with them.

In either case, the response is neither professional, nor genuine, nor is it deserved.

Is there a word that describes P2's response?

Best Answer

You could say the comment was sardonic:

: disdainfully or skeptically humorous : derisively mocking
• a sardonic comment
Merriam-Webster

A recent example of its usage:

Every bed was occupied, but there were no patients in chairs in corridors. Staff moved quickly but calmly as they dealt with patients.

“You came at a good time,” a nurse said. “Come back later.”

The slightly sardonic remark best illustrated a sense that a calm of sorts had fallen in some of Dublin’s hospitals on Wednesday following a night which saw record numbers of patients on trolleys across the country.
The Irish Times

Related Topic