Fifty Shades Of Shade: 35+ Side-Splitting Moments Of Passive-Aggression

While passive aggression doesn’t necessarily invite punches to the face or getting kicked around in the dirt, it’s still not the best way to deal with frustrating incidents. It actually spreads a lot of toxicity in the environment.

Additionally, it feeds the tension in any situation until it’s ready to pop like a huge balloon of rage. However, when done with good humor and a healthy dose of self-awareness, it can actually entertain people. Sometimes, it might even lighten up the mood and actually get people to do the right thing. 

Don’t believe us? Keep reading, and we guarantee you’ll cackle at these hilarious instances when people gave into their passive-aggressive side in funny ways. Who knows? Maybe they’ll inspire you the next time you want to teach someone a lesson without being too snotty!

Eat Your Veggies

People who work in busy kitchens all day know how frustrating it can be to cater to people’s insane requests for their meals. They already have so much to do, and sometimes, these requests consume too much of their time. But as they say, the customer is always right, right?

Sometimes, however, you feel that enough is enough and decide to push back, and this chef did it in the most hilarious passive-aggressive way. He even added a tiny little angry face! Wonder what the customer thought about this response.

Honest Product Disclaimer

Most people, including us, don’t pay a lot of attention to the words on a food wrapper. Some reckon that a lot of the information consists of lies and propaganda made to make a product seem better than it is. That’s why this product disclaimer is such a breath of fresh air. 

The honesty in that tiny bit of text is just chef’s kiss. Who doesn’t like a unique, daring brand? If more products were like this, maybe they would have more power to convince us to buy things we don’t actually need!

Neighborhood Rivalry

This next one is for those of us who are never behind on the neighborhood rivalries. The drama is often too juicy to miss, especially if you have neighbors like these two. Who wouldn’t want to get in on this kind of witty rivalry?

As much as we love the kind of drama we can see from the front windows, this kind is sometimes a little more entertaining. To the outsiders, everything seems peachy at the neighborhood BBQ, but behind closed doors, the tension is oh-so-obvious.

Driving For Dummies

We all know that common sense is not necessarily common, right? While this is not the case for everyone, it seems that as some people grow, they lose more of it each day. Hence, there arises a need for things like these. 

Sometimes, you have to spell it out for people in the most passive-aggressive way possible. And even then, you can’t be sure if they’ll get it or not. You can only hope for the best and meditate to calm yourself down because you know full-on aggression is not the way to go.

We Hear You

Living or working next to a place where there’s construction going on can be very annoying. The noise from the machines and sometimes even the workers can grind your gears. As a result, foremen and construction workers often have to deal with noise complaints.

But the management of this particular site had had enough of the complaints, so they decided to push back. The truth is things like noisy machines can’t be avoided in construction. We suspect these guys made that clear, but since no one was listening, they decided a passive-aggressive sign was the way to go!

Perfect Farewell Gift To A Flatearther

Looking for the perfect birthday present or going away gift for someone who believes that the earth is flat? This should give you an absolutely brilliant idea. In this day and age, we still can’t believe that people like that still exist.

Kudos to the person who thought of this, though. Your genius will not be forgotten. This is a reminder that you don’t have to live on the edge around people like these. Sometimes, you just have to push them toward the edge of ‘sanity!’ 

Neighborhood Poop Crime

We all know that Karens love attention, right? So, why not draw everyone’s attention to them, especially when they’re the ones who need some Karen-ing? One brilliant individual was enraged by their neighbors’ disgusting behavior, so they decided to do something about it.

People who don’t pick up after their dogs can be quite annoying. However, there’s an even more annoying group of pet owners who apparently pick the poop but throw it in other people’s yards! We would have given anything to see the looks on these women’s faces once they spotted this poster.

Happy Christmas!

Most kids wouldn’t know the meaning of the phrase passive-aggressive. However, some of them seem to be masters of the art. It just comes naturally to them, like this kid. The 6-year-old who wrote it had a lot to say to the card’s receiver. 

You can’t even find fault in this because the kid was actually very polite. They were even gracious enough to say Happy Christmas! We don’t know about you, but this would be a very proud parenting moment for some of us. 

Choose Ignorance

In numerous instances in life, we usually don’t have all the answers that would explain certain situations. But when you think about it, in some cases, it’s usually best not to know everything. Ignorance is bliss, and plausible deniability is a thing.

But there is always a line. You simply can’t ignore leftover chicken that has been out for a couple of days. This guy’s roommate ‘forgot’ his food for about two weeks, and when he couldn’t take it anymore, he crafted this hilarious message.

No Tears Shed For This

Have you ever waited in line for half your lunch break while the person who should be taking your order was too busy flirting? Then, when they finally take your order, they mess up the one thing that you repeated twice. That’s what happened to this customer. 

Needless to say, they were furious. The onions say it all. The fact that they dedicated precious minutes of their already short lunch break to creating this message speaks volumes of their headspace (and level of restraint) at that particular moment.

Please Accept The Invitation

In advertising, it’s common sense to make the subject matter as eye-catching as it can be so people will be drawn to it and the message. The management of this workplace took a page off that book for this bathroom message. 

According to them, the poster did its job. Plus, it gives people something to laugh at as they take a piss, which is an under-appreciated sentiment. If you are currently dealing with this kind of problem, take a page from this establishment’s book.

Moms Are the Real Masters

Gotta love moms. They put up with all our tantrums and unsavory behavior for years and never love us less because of them. Honestly, none of us would be anything without these angels. Another superpower they seem to possess is the ability to make us feel guilty and loved at the same time.

And as you may already know, they often do this with sarcasm or passive-aggression. They have somehow perfected this thing into the art form we know today. Just check this one out. We would never leave dirty dishes in the sink again after coming home to this!

Shamed By A Fitness App

Fitness apps are supposed to keep us on track with our fitness goals, right? They often have reminders that keep us steady by reminding us to get up and do the work. But we bet no one told this person that theirs came with a setting that shamed them!

Well, this app single-handedly did what our brain’s sarcastic side does for us when we skip a workout or a run because a tiny drizzle made us decide to sleep in! This app basically said, “Congratulations on being a lazy butt!” in the nicest way. This would definitely work on us.

The Most Delightful Cake Ever

Workplace passive-aggressive drama is underrated. In fact, there are moments when it actually makes you feel loved and appreciated. If you have doubts about that statement, just check out this employee’s going away cake from their coworkers. See what we mean?

Don’t you feel all the love and “We’ll miss you” tears oozing from that cake? We certainly do. If you think about it, this is actually more genuine than most of the farewell cakes you see. If you have a beloved colleague who’s leaving soon, this would be an awesome idea for a cake.

When Even Your App Is Giving Up On You

Before this article, we thought all fitness apps were more or less programmed the same way when it came to motivating users to reach their goals. We always thought the reminders were a constant feature. But apparently, some of these apps also have a limit and know when to give up on you.

We’re not sure why, but this kind of passive-aggressive approach hurts a lot more coming from an app than an actual human. It’s like you’ve sunk so low that even non-sentient things can’t help you! Just how horrible is that? 

This Car Sticker

Sometimes, people are infuriating, especially on the road. You may wonder how they ever got their driver’s license and maybe even consider reporting them to highway patrol. But then again, sometimes it’s not worth it. You have to be the bigger person. 

This is the perfect bumper sticker for that. It says it all in that one measly sentence. If you get angry honks behind you, it means they probably haven’t read it because once you read it, it makes you think carefully about your reaction.

Holiday Inn Getting Sick Of Towel Thieves

Most of us have taken a thing or two from hotel rooms. At this point, this habit has become so normalized that you rarely feel ashamed, if ever. Most people only take the complimentary shampoo and soap. Taking more than that, however, is a little bit different. 

This hotel’s management had had enough of people taking their towels, which is completely understandable. Thus, someone came up with an idea to leave a message for future potential towel thieves. This way, they put up a warning and an advert in one note!

Straight To The Point Label

When was the last time you read the directions on how to properly use a product you bought? You probably don’t remember because a lot of us do the trial-and-error method. And because of that, we often end up using the product wrong and complaining about its effectiveness when we’re actually the problem.

This product’s manufacturers had had it with the numerous complaints they had gotten from unsatisfied customers who had skipped the instructions. So, they decided a huge passive-aggressive message on a bold red note would be the perfect thing to call people out. We know genius when we see it!

Amazon Gets Dragged Into Divorce

Though it’s not always the case, divorce proceedings often get nasty. One of the most frustrating things about it is divvying up the things you once shared. Some things like properties and cars are usually settled in court, but there are other less consequential things that you still need to deal with as a couple.

For example, amazon subscriptions. This guy’s soon-to-be ex-wife and her family were still using his Amazon Video account, so he decided to send her a message through it. Hopefully, she took the hint. And also got her own Amazon Video account!

iMother

This is a lot closer to what we’d expect of tracker apps and the like. Aside from the reminder, there’s still a hint of motivation there that gets you thinking twice before lying back down. Looks like the issue of not having the motivation to work out is a pandemic!

Truthfully, this sounds like something a mom would say. We can already hear the tone they would use while saying it – sweet but with a slight hint of chastising. Still, if this is the kind of thing that gets you up and doing stuff, then power to you. 

Free Advertisement

A lot of businesses go to the ends of the Earth to prevent bad reviews from tarnishing their reputation. But why go through all that when you can turn any kind of review into a free advertisement like this place?

It’s the sarcasm in the postage that gives the ad a charm. Who wouldn’t be curious and amused with something like that? It’s a stroke of genius and a little payback to that one dissatisfied reviewer on TripAdvisor. Wouldn’t be surprised if it was a Karen.

Better Not Upset The Washing Up Fairy

For some reason, some people, fully grown adults at that, expect somebody to come and clean up after them. And the sad thing is somebody is always forced to do it. Unfortunately, taking up that job can take a toll.

The first sign that this person has had it with their messy companions is by naming themselves the Washing Up fairy. The second sign is the obvious ‘Cleaning Up for Dummies’ instruction. As for the messy eaters, let’s hope their fairy still has some patience left.

Apply Now!

A lot of entitled people constantly nag and frown about slow service in restaurants, even when it’s not. They rarely ever consider if the place has even enough staff to cater to all their royal demands. For that, this restaurant has found the perfect answer. 

The request makes perfect sense. If you are upset about the long wait because of the short-staff situation, then you should probably think about helping out. Either that, or you can shut up and wait patiently as you read, scroll, and laugh at memes, or literally do anything other than make a fuss.

Boot Ticket

People are paid to draw parking spot lines in parking lots for a reason – to keep everything and everyone in order. However, some people still choose to act as uneducated rebels and go against the system, like this driver.

Kudos to whoever scribbled that message on their nasty rear, but we don’t think the driver will see it. They clearly didn’t see the straight white line and the gunk that had accumulated on their car, so they could easily miss this.

Take The Call

One of the worst times to answer a call is while you’re in line waiting to check out. It is actually worse for the person on the other side of the counter, especially if the customer taking the call isn’t good at multitasking. 

As the message says, if the call can’t be ignored or returned at a later time, just go ahead and answer it before joining the queue. If you’re good with multitasking, though, why not? We can’t help but wonder how many times this happened for them to decide to put up a sign.

The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From The Tree

When you have a passive-aggressive parent, it can get a little frustrating sometimes. On the flip side, it also means that you have a master to learn from right in front of you. Lessons in this valuable art won’t even cost you much. 

This kid basically turned the tables on his parents. It’s a typical scene of the student smarting up and beating the master. This mum must have done something quite awful for the little rascal to pull off a stunt like this.

Items For Sale

Soap and shampoos are the only things that can be taken from hotel rooms (well, at least according to us). Anything more than that, and you’re just plain stealing. Unfortunately, some hotels can’t seem to find the best way to deal with that kind of thing. 

These guys thought it best to make an official list of items and their prices should guests take an interest in taking some of them home. But who are we kidding? This might just make some people more motivated to steal just so they can find out if they can get away with it!

Getting Ad-Shamed

Whoever thought it was a good idea to create ads on YouTube is probably Satan’s right-hand man. Those things just bring out a different kind of rage in people, as you will see below. That passive-aggressive attitude is not helping at all.

In fact, that kind of attitude will probably result in a personal computer getting punched or thrown at the wall somewhere around the world. It might sound funny now, but it won’t be when you’re the one doing the punching or throwing. 

Wildlife Sass

It’s funny how some dog owners think that just because they’ve brought the doggy bag and picked up their pet’s poop with it that they are the finest specimen of human beings. Sure, it’s commendable, but some people just ruin it all by leaving the bags everywhere!

By doing that, they basically undo whatever good they had done. Forests are sacred places and homes to numerous thriving ecosystems, so leaving things like dog poo bags there, even though they are biodegradable, is simply unacceptable and should be a punishable offense.

Bringing Mama Into The Argument

One should never disrespect another’s mother. And when it comes to using them to pass a passive-aggressive message, well, it’s fair play. It is sad that some people refuse to learn to be adults until you slap them with adulthood.

This is one of the oldest passive-aggressive statements in the book, and we highly suspect there is a version of it in every language. It is also more reason to respect mums everywhere since they certainly have a reputation for taking such great care of us.

A Bridal Smack

This shop is probably owned by someone who keeps asking,” When are you getting married?” like their life depends on it. Who else would come up with a name that would either bring out Bridezilla or make her the happiest bride ever?

We have to admit, though, that name was a stroke of genius. Sure, it can poke a sore spot, but it is still hilarious. As you walk through the door, you can tell that you’ll be in the hands of someone with a great sense of humor, which is never a bad thing.

An Icy Dig

Let’s admit it; sometimes, petty revenge is a lot more satisfying than huge, life-changing kinds of vengeful plots, especially when it comes to relationships. There’s just something about them that makes you feel like the world is on your side. Just take a look at this dig, for instance.

Nobody in the world would know who it’s meant for except the person it was made for. That is, if they were even paying enough attention in the relationship to know what their partner did. If not, this would be a sad waste of potential. 

Driving 101

When you’re slamming the brakes hard and seeing your life flashing in front of your eyes because the driver in front of you forgot to use their signal lights at the right time, you’ll realize a lot of drivers think they’re the only ones on the road. 

You will also discover that so many drivers need this signage smacked into their faces for them to do the right thing. Unfortunately, doing that can get you in jail, so it is better to settle for a passive-aggressive sign. 

Pretending It’s Invisible

Being the bigger person sometimes doesn’t cut it, especially when you live around unreasonable people. The owner of this house had a neighbor who insisted on parking his car in front of this person’s house, so they decided to retaliate.

Since they were parking it right where they placed the garbage bins for collection, the revenge strategy was pretty obvious. Some people suggested that it would’ve been even better if the bins were on top of the car, but oh, well, we’ll take whatever pettiness we can get. 

Grow Old Together

This is the perfect example of what it looks like to grow old together as a couple. You just get to the point where you don’t know whether you want to bonk the person you’re with or bonk yourself with a bat for marrying that person. 

Of course, even though you’ve been with that person for years, nobody enjoys arguments over little things. That’s just too much energy to waste. So, passive-aggressive communication is the way to go just to keep enough tension in the house to keep everyone on their toes.

Wii Fit Having A Fit

Today’s modern fitness apps are a lot kinder than the Wii Fit. You only get the occasional message when you miss a few days. However, with Wii Fit, notifications felt like a scolding session from the most passive-aggressive mom ever!

This image says it all. For some people, this would be a little horrifying, especially with its messages when you gain weight. It can be a bit overbearing. But then again, if you thrive on passive-aggressive kicking on the butt, this might just work for you.

Hiring On The Spot

Nobody likes waiting in lines for hours on end. Some people would even have a fit and cause a scene if they waited for more than five minutes. Do you know what’s a better solution for this? How about these impatient peeps apply to fill in some positions? 

They could use their fits to combat other entitled customers who harass employees. That way, they would have done some good in the world. Customers would also appreciate seeing fewer unnecessary Karen scenes and just move on with their day.

Flower Thieves

Stealing is already a crime. However, stealing from sweet, old ladies should have double the punishment. Seriously, who even does that? Fortunately for the thieves in this post, the sweet old lady was sweeter than most and even gave them tips. 

If people around the neighborhood discovered who it was, they would definitely get the disappointment of the whole area. Let’s just hope they follow the old lady’s instructions and maintain the plants well, or else their petty crime would’ve been for nothing.

Open For Discussion

Gates can sometimes be very tricky. Some people have the grace and intelligence to always know what to do with them. However, there are tons of idiots out there who are clueless, no matter what kind of sign you put up for them. 

This person left the discussion open for a particular one. But if closing the gate is hard for them already, we don’t think this guy will get a response that won’t leave them face-palming. Seriously, why wouldn’t you just close the gate? It often takes less than a minute!

When Your Ex Sends You An Apology Letter

When your ex sends you an apology letter, it can go so many ways. If the breakup wasn’t that bad, you might even reply to the letter or contact them in some way. However, if it was bone-deep bad, you’d probably do what this person did. 

It’s crystal clear that the receiver wanted nothing else to do with the sender, and thus, their brain told them that the only logical thing to do was to grade it. Hopefully, that was the last time they ever had to correct that person’s mistakes!

If You Care

Some brands are usually passive-aggressive when it comes to their packaging, but they do it in a very subtle way that many people don’t even realize it’s there. However, this brand decided to slap customers with it in the face.

They’re straight out guilt-tripping customers into using their products, and well, we can’t say that it didn’t work. Just one look at those words and a little bit of guilt strikes the heart. Who knew guilt-tripping tactics could be such powerful marketing tools? 

City Was Asking For It

Apparently, somewhere in Sweden, officials decided to remove the trash bin at this bus stop. And well, the people didn’t like it. So they decided the easiest way to show their dissatisfaction was to leave the trash where they used to leave it. 

Granted, everyone had their own faults here. The city was just asking for it when they removed those ever-helpful trash bins. Judging by the citizens’ behavior, there weren’t any replacements nearby, so they decided here was as good a place as any. 

Penny Petty

Food theft in the workplace is a pretty common thing. And while watching the drama unfold can be fun, it can be frustrating when you’re dragged into it. This person found themselves in that situation, so they decided not to take it lying down.

While they may have followed the request of the person who made the note, it’s obvious they’re not going to be too pleased with the pennies. What’s more, it’s on display for everyone to see. Taking them down one by one is certainly not what the person who requested for the two dollars hoped for.

When Management Doesn’t Listen

Everyone who’s worked in corporate knows that unless something affects the entire department or the company, nobody will do anything about minor complaints. They simply rot on some manager’s desk, just like this one. This poor employee had a leak in her office, but no one did anything.

She probably got tired from bugging management about it so many times that she just decided to do something about it herself by making an aquarium. At least this way, it will be too obvious to ignore, and management will no longer turn a blind eye to it.

Duolingo Sass

In life, it always serves you to know when to leave. It is quite the underrated skill. Just ask Duolingo! When something’s not working, be it a job, relationship, or even a deal, it’s necessary to take your leave. That is always the smart thing to do.

These kinds of app notifications are top-tier passive-aggressive, though. Frankly, at this point, we are convinced it’s a strategy. The developers clearly knew what they were doing because we can see something like this guilting us back into learning a language!