How to Appear Intelligent

Reviewed by Seth Hall

Last Updated: June 24, 2024

Have you ever wished to appear more intelligent to the people around you? Have no fear—we've got your back. Read on for plenty of tips, tricks, and suggestions that'll help you easily appear intelligent in any scenario.

1

Wear glasses.

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By wearing glasses, you may appear smarter. In fact, this phenomenon has been proven in multiple studies.^{[1]
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2

Buff up your lexicon.

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It's common knowledge that intelligent people tend to use longer words. However, when someone intentionally warps their speech into a bunch of--ahem--sesquipedalian, loquacious verbiage--it looks silly, and is obviously fake.
- Intelligent people use longer words because they're more precise and efficient, and they help explain things in a way that's more easily understood (if you can get a handle on the vocabulary, at least).
- Avoid slang terms. Using slang terms generally doesn't improve your image, and it may make some people less likely to see you in an intelligent light.

3

Enunciate and speak clearly.

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Make sure people can understand you. When people can hear what you're saying, they're more likely to pay attention and respect you because you sound intelligent.
- Avoid covering your mouth when you speak. This can muffle your voice and make you seem uncertain and confused.

4

Speak only when you have something to contribute.

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If you don't know much about the subject, or feel uncomfortable with the topic at hand, avoid chiming in to the conversation. This leaves you vulnerable to making mistakes that could tarnish your intelligent reputation.

5

Refrain from using sentence fillers.

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Sentence fillers are words like 'umm', 'errr', and 'like'. They make you appear as if you don't know what you are talking about or just appears as less mature.
- The best way to avoid sentence fillers is to plan out your next statement. By taking a few seconds to gather your thoughts before speaking, you'll lessen the chance that you'll stumble over your words.

6

Dress the part.

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Your best option is a 'smart-casual' wardrobe. You will need several blazers (preferably tweed), various shirts/blouses and smart-looking trousers. Maintaining your appearance will help create the illusion that you're an intelligent and precise person.
- While a neat haircut isn't quite indicative of intellect, it shows that you want to look smart but low-maintenance (i.e. not wanting to style your hair every morning, but still caring about your appearance).

7

Look for abridged explanations and summaries.

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Want to carry on a conversation with your well-read friends? If you don't have much patience for the classics, read CliffNotes or watch a film adaptation so you at least know what they're about. Familiarise yourself with famous authors and popular philosophies. Get abbreviated, crash-course lessons on a couple different topics of your choice.
- Search on the Internet. Mildly interested in psychology? Try the book Psych101--it's a small book that'll familiarize you with the basic theories and theorists, and you can pick it up and read little bits at your leisure.
- Many quick explanations of higher-level topics can be found on video-streaming websites, such as Youtube. You could begin by searching for "Quick Philosophical Topics" and perusing what shows up!

8

Answer questions as completely as you can with what you know.

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Truly intelligent people are secure in their intelligence, so they're not afraid to admit they don't know everything about everything. Nobody does.

9

Avoid swearing and use of other types of 'vulgar' language.

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The primary reason to swear is to use shock tactics. Using language that society has deemed inappropriate is supposed to add meaning to your statements. Intelligent people have better ways to make their point than bad language, and they tend to look down upon profanity.
- Rather than use foul language, try to explain your emotions using more efficient terminology. In addition to avoiding profanity, you'll impress your friends with your newfound vocabulary.

10

Avoid being arrogant.

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Instead, it has all too much to do with being rude and conceited.

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Tips

Ask lots of questions. It increases your intelligence when you listen to the answers, and also shows that you're paying attention, making you look more intelligent. Win-win!

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Hang around with intelligent people, and listen a lot. You'll find that the more you try to understand, the more intelligent you become, or at least the more intelligent you'll look.

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It's actually not difficult to pick up smarts you don't have to fake.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Don't talk down to others, constantly ask people about their achievements, or think that good grades are the most important things in life.
Make sure to be friendly and nice because intelligence is not about rudeness or arrogance.

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Warnings

Don't try to one-up or argue with people who actually know what they're talking about. You will be shot down, humiliated and pegged in that person's mind as irritating.

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