Buzz
Revenge is rarely beautiful, but that’s kind of the point. One of the more subtle ways to get revenge is to act like you’re unaffected, ignoring the person entirely. This is often the most effective choice, as it helps you move on from the situation without further escalation. On the flip side, you could take a more direct approach—such as pursuing legal action (if applicable), undercutting their attempts to humiliate you, or even playing a harmless prank to make them the butt of the joke. Before you decide on revenge, pause and reflect on whether it’s really the best move; if it is, proceed carefully and stay sharp.
Steps
Taking Revenge Indirectly
Ignore the person. Sometimes, doing absolutely nothing is the most powerful way to get back at someone who’s trying to provoke you. When you react to their attempts to upset you, you give them the satisfaction of knowing they’ve gotten under your skin. By choosing to ignore them completely and cutting them out of your life, you take away their control. It’s done, and you can move on.
- Being treated as invisible can actually be more irritating than being mistreated, especially for those who enjoy embarrassing you, like siblings, school bullies, or coworkers who make jokes at your expense. Don’t let them boss you around.
Move on with your life. "The best revenge is living well." Show that the situation that sparked your need for revenge hasn't affected you in the slightest. Create boundaries and continue with your life as if nothing happened. Even if you're dealing with the aftermath of someone else's actions, keep your head high and don't let them see any trace of their impact on you. The greatest revenge can be leading a better life than the person who wronged you.
- If you have to regularly encounter this person, craft stories about your successes to highlight how great your life is. If someone embarrassed you at work or school, talk about your exciting weekend with your amazing group of friends or the thrilling bike trip you took.
Block them on social media. If someone is harassing you on Facebook, bombarding you with irritating Tweets or Instagram posts, cut them out of your digital life. Unfriend them, unfollow them, and block them entirely. You can even report their behavior if it violates the platform's rules. Don't let trivial annoyances become major conflicts. Soon, the memory of their obnoxious posts and photos with your ex will fade.
- Resist the urge to engage in online arguments or drama. It may seem tempting to retaliate with posts or public comments, but this only leaves a permanent digital footprint. There's no point in getting caught up in an embarrassing battle with someone who isn't worth your time.
Don't assist them when they need it. This approach works particularly well in professional environments or situations where you're regularly criticized for simply trying to help or do your job. Let them figure things out without your support. They’ll soon understand the message.
- If you're working on a group project at school and your efforts are ridiculed, step back and work solo. When the deadline arrives, inform the teacher that your group chose not to assist you.
- If a sibling, roommate, or partner criticizes your efforts at home, stop doing tasks like laundry or dishes and let them know they can take over the responsibilities if they feel it's not up to standard.
Taking Action
Consider legal action. If the situation justifies it, let the authorities handle any cases of emotional or physical torment. Keep detailed records and a chronological log of events, then consult with a lawyer about possible charges.
- If someone borrowed your car and damaged it, or took money and never repaid you, document every interaction. Keep receipts, emails, and written promises, and write a detailed account of any exchanges you had. Then, talk to a lawyer or the police to assess your chances of pursuing legal action for theft, vandalism, fraud, defamation, or other offenses.
- Always ensure your revenge stays within legal boundaries. Vigilantism leads to consequences, and violence will only make matters worse. Never cross the line—stealing someone’s mail, for example, may seem tempting, but it’s a federal crime. Is it worth the risk? Definitely not.
Outshine them. If they've wronged you, don't hesitate to speak your mind in their presence. Use your sharp wit to drop subtle remarks about their poor attitude or lack of it. Feel free to throw insults directly at them.
- Be cautious, though. If you're too harsh or critical, you might end up lowering yourself to their level. Constantly observing them to find flaws can be exhausting. It could also backfire, with them retaliating in a similar manner, leading to an endless cycle of petty revenge.
Outdo them. Show them they were wrong about you. If someone tried to undermine you, demonstrate your true worth by consistently excelling.
- If someone spread malicious rumors that hindered your promotion, work harder than ever to earn that promotion in the next quarter. Keep your distance from them, and let management eventually see that it was all just gossip, revealing that you're the one who truly deserves the recognition. Keep being the real deal in everything you do.
Sabotage their efforts. Set up situations where your adversary looks unprepared, disorganized, or out of place. Without letting them catch on, quietly observe them until you spot a weakness or a predictable pattern. Use that knowledge to your advantage, whether it's related to a job, a joke, a seat, a car, a notebook, a room, or even the people around them. When the moment is right, act.
- If your enemy constantly brags about their accomplishments during group lunches or in a class, take charge of the conversation first. Don't let them dominate it.
- If your enemy likes to act superior or preachy, keep track of their mistakes and failures, then subtly bring them up when appropriate. For example, when the eco-conscious person in your dorm uses a plastic cup, jump in with, "Guess it's hard to always care about the planet, huh?"
Defeat them with kindness. Instead of undermining them, take the opposite approach by being overly helpful and willing to set aside the past. Intrude on their space, offering unsolicited advice, help, and solutions over and over again. Be a constant presence. Whenever they need solitude, be in their way. Whenever they make decisions, second-guess them and offer negative feedback on how poorly their choices will turn out. This kind of psychological torment can create confusion and erode their self-confidence.
Getting Your Hands Dirty
Choose to stoop to their level. While it might not always be the smartest move to sink to their tactics and play dirty, there are moments when the opportunity is simply too tempting to pass up. Just ensure that your prank or plan is only mildly annoying and never crosses the line into illegal or physically harmful territory. Be childish in your revenge, but still maintain a sense of maturity.
- Remember, engaging in a petty back-and-forth can quickly become more exhausting than just letting go and moving on. You're playing their game when you get dirty, and this could provoke them to retaliate. Consider the consequences carefully.
Send anonymous letters, phone calls, or text messages. If the person is bombarded with a flood of annoying phone calls requesting something like the Grammar Hotline (or something worse), it could drive them to change their contact information out of sheer frustration.
- Post their contact details in public areas, perhaps even making up outrageous posters to hang in places like truck stop bathrooms, bars, and other sketchy spots. Watch them handle the chaos as they field calls from strangers.
Leave them a foul gift. Shrimp, and other seafood, can create a revolting odor when they go bad, one that could be compared to a demonic fart. If you stash some frozen shrimp in their desk, locker, or under their porch, prepare for a stink bomb to explode in a few days. They’ll be baffled, disgusted, and possibly have a group of critters showing up to feast on the surprise you've left behind.
Publicly embarrass them. Order offensive materials and have them delivered at a particularly inconvenient moment. For instance, send them a collection of explicit videos or a box set of Creation Science DVDs, and make sure it arrives during an important meeting or event. Leave out the office suite number to ensure the delivery driver has to ask everyone in the building to track down your target.
Scare them. Send them something innocent, like flowers, but make it from a creepy or shady source. Place the order anonymously and pay in cash, so when they get a bouquet with a bizarre message like, "Your backyard at 123 Smith St. is a perfect spot to sleep," they’ll be thoroughly spooked.
- Being creepy is fine, just don’t take it too far. Avoid crossing into truly disturbing territory. Don’t actually sleep in their yard or engage in anything illegal.
- Write something ominous like "Lucifer rises" on their windshield in lipstick, or create eerie stone formations on their front porch. You could even make a creepy voodoo doll with their picture on it and leave it in their mailbox. Watch them show up to work exhausted after spending the night haunted by your creepy gestures.
Know the difference between pranks and harassment. If you're planning to get someone back with a prank, keep it cool. Harassment, which involves insults, threats, or any form of intimidation, crosses a line and is illegal. Don't take your revenge too far.
- "A person is guilty of harassment in the first degree when they intentionally and repeatedly harass someone by following them in public or engaging in actions that cause fear of physical harm."
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Sometimes, the enemy of your enemy can become your ally. Consider gathering a team to help with your mission.
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If you're planning multiple acts of revenge, space them out. Do something small every couple of weeks or a bigger act every month. This ensures your target never sees it coming.
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Another strategy: Make connections with your enemy's friends, then subtly bring them down from the inside.
The advice shared in this section comes from the real-life experiences of Mytour readers, like you. If you have any useful tips you'd like to contribute, feel free to share them in the field below.
- Keep a low profile if you decide to take action. Whatever you do, ensure that only your enemy can trace it back to you, leaving you with plausible deniability.
- One subtle and harmless way to exact revenge is by accessing their phone, going to the text replacement settings, and swapping out common words for silly or embarrassing alternatives.
Warnings
- Be cautious and avoid going too far. If you overdo it, you could land yourself in serious trouble, and your enemies will likely take pleasure in your downfall.
