The 13 Best Phrases to Respond to Compliments — Revealed

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The art of giving genuine, thoughtful compliments not only uplifts the receiver’s mood but also makes the complimenter feel good about themselves.

And we all know how good it feels when you hear a thoughtful compliment at home, at work, or with friends. 

But what about responding to compliments? Surely, you can only master the art of the compliment when you’re good at delivering, as well as receiving compliments. 

Knowing how to respond to compliments can boost your confidence, the charm in your personality and improve relationships whether you’re in a formal setting or an informal one. 

In this article, you will learn some classy, romantic, and witty responses to compliments.

 

The best phrases to respond to compliments

1. “Thank you! It means a lot to me.”
2. “Thank you! You made my day!”
3. “That’s very kind of you.”
4. “Much obliged!”
5. “I appreciate you taking the time out to express that.”
6. “That’s music to my ears. I’m glad you liked it!”
7. “Thank you for acknowledging my work!”
8. “I appreciate the thoughtful compliment. Thank you!” 
9. “That means a lot coming from you.”
10. “That’s so sweet of you!”
11. “Oh, such discerning eyes!”
12. “So I have been told.”
13. “Compliment accepted!”

 

1. “Thank you! It means a lot to me.”

Gratitude is one of the first and foremost feelings you want to convey when you receive a compliment.

Although this response is suitable when you receive a compliment from a colleague or an acquaintance, you must always express your gratitude to whoever the compliment is coming from. 

By saying “Thank you! It means a lot to me,” you express your gratitude in a meaningful way. The simple expression of saying a “thank you” alone can often seem too shallow. 

So, if you add a bit more about how valuable the compliment is for you, you can deliver your appreciation effectively. 

However, you must note that this compliment response cannot be used for all compliments you receive.

As a simple guide, remember that this is a meaningful response and should be used in return for a meaningful compliment.  

For instance, if someone compliments you “Good job!” you are better off responding with a simple “Thank you!” You should say “It means a lot to me” when it really does mean a lot to you. 

 

2. “Thank you! You made my day!”

This is a particularly jolly response to a compliment that expresses how a compliment just made your day better. Although this is one of the most commonly used compliment responses, it’s bound to stay popular because it works in almost any setting. 

The phrase “You made my day!” is a casual but expressive reply to a compliment.

You should use it when you don’t want to sound too shallow, but also don’t want to seem too moved by the compliment. 

It’s a suitable reply when you receive praise about your looks or something about you from a colleague, friend, or a member of your family. 

Remarkably, is the go-to response when you receive a compliment when you least expect it. For instance, if a stranger comes up to you and compliments you, just say “Thank you! You made my day!”

 

3. “That’s very kind of you.”

If you’re in a formal setting or want to sound elegant, “that’s very kind of you” is a short and classy response to a compliment.

This reply does not give away your feelings or how the compliment impacted you, but it’s a smart way to respond without seeming too superficial. 

When you respond to a compliment with this, you’re just returning one compliment with another. This conveys that you’ve accepted the compliment. 

What makes this response special is that you can use it when nothing else seems to work. You could think of it simply as a substitute for “thank you,” but a more elaborate and elegant one. 

This is also a great reply in one of the awkward situations when you’re not sure if the complimenter really means what they’re saying. If you feel the other person is joking or being sarcastic, a “That’s very kind of you” ought to be a smart response. 

 

4. “Much obliged!”

If you want to sound unique, this is a great response to a compliment. “Much obliged” is one of the most formal responses to a compliment and it means the same thing as “thank you.”

Being obliged means to be grateful to someone. So, if you say “much obliged” in response to a compliment, it conveys the message that you’re very grateful for it.

The important thing here is that not everyone will immediately understand what this phrase means, especially non-native speakers.

So, you’re advised to use this response when you’re sure the other person will understand what you mean. 

 

5. “I appreciate you noticing and taking the time out to express that.”

Use this response to a compliment when you really want the other person to know that you acknowledge and appreciate that they noticed something good about you and complimented you for it.

The length and wordiness of the phrase might make it sound a bit awkward, but there are particular settings where no other response can do a better job than this one. 

These would primarily be formal and/or professional settings where you want the complimenter to know that you value their attention and time. 

For example, if a senior member of your office walked up to you and commended you about the great job you’ve done in a presentation, “I appreciate you noticing and taking the time out to express that” would be an excellent answer to it.

 

6. “That’s music to my ears. I’m glad you liked it!”

Add a bit of idiom to your language if you want to sound more eloquent. The idiom, ‘music to my ears’ means that you’re very pleased to hear something. 

So, when you use this reply to a compliment, you are conveying the message that you really enjoyed hearing it and that it makes you happy that the complimenter likes something about you. 

This response might have some romantic connotations to it, but it can be used in a wide range of settings, formal or informal. 

For example, if your parent compliments you on how well you drive, “That’s music to my ears. I’m glad you like my driving!” would be the best response. 

 

7. “Thank you for acknowledging my work!”

Sometimes when we put some extra effort into doing something, we ideally want others to recognize and appreciate us for it.

So, when someone does compliment you on your work, you can be honest and tell them you appreciate their acknowledgment. 

This particular response sounds humble and honest and is suitable for use if you want to build a good reputation in a new workplace. 

If you’re an artist or writer and create music, art, or other works, it becomes important for you to take ownership of your intellectual property. 

So, if someone is admiring and complementing your work, you could use this response to make sure the credit goes where it’s due. 

 

8. “I appreciate the thoughtful compliment. Thank you!” 

If you feel someone has really put thought into a compliment, you should acknowledge it and let them know!

Whether it’s a casual relationship or a formal one, a strong bond is built when there’s an effort made from both sides. 

The fact that someone has put thought into thinking of a nice compliment to give you, and it stuck with you, you should reciprocate that. At least, acknowledge their thoughtfulness for a start. 

A great tip to respond to a thoughtful compliment is to utter your reply while making eye contact. This will not only make you seem more confident, but it also gives you a sincere and genuine vibe. 

 

9. “That means a lot coming from you.”

Did you receive a compliment from someone you really admire or consider an inspiration for you?

Well, a great response to a compliment from such a person would be to say “that means a lot coming from you.”

Although this response suggests that you hold the complimenter in high regard, you can also suggest if you want someone to feel good about themselves. 

However, you might be confused as to what is the best way to deliver this response?

Well, like with every other compliment you should respond with a confident and upbeat tone, with a smart smile on your face, and while making eye contact. 

 

10. “That’s so sweet of you!”

This is one of the more casual and laid-back responses to a compliment. “That’s so sweet of you!” implies that the compliment made you feel good, and you return the favor by praising the amiability of the other person.

But unlike formal replies to a compliment, you’re advised not to utilize this response in the most formal settings. 

For instance, if your boss commends you on a job well done, you’re better off saying a short “thank you” rather than telling your boss that they’re sweet.

Moreover, this is a great response when you receive a compliment from a child or an elderly person. 

 

11. “Oh, such discerning eyes!”

This is one of the more informal but witty replies to compliments. If you want to sound smart and cheesy, you would like to add this one to your collection of compliment responses. 

When you say “oh, such discerning eyes!” to someone, you give them a message of being softly surprised by the keen eye they keep on you, how you look or what you do. 

Not to make them feel creepy, you should ideally respond with a friendly smile and only to people you have a close bond with.

The phrase ‘discerning eyes’ means eyes that are good at judging looks or the quality of something.

So when you say this in response, you’re accepting the compliment while also implying that the other person has a good judgment. 

 

12. “So I have been told.”

If you want to sound confident, witty, and unique, go for this one. But use it only with people you’re really friendly with.

This response might make you sound a tad bit too overconfident, but it’ll do if you’re responding to a friend.

The response, “so I have been told” means the same thing as I get that a lot, or that you’ve heard this compliment before from someone else. This response also suggests that you’re aware of what you’ve been complimented for and you’re used to it.

This is a frank and reserved way of accepting a compliment and might help you if want to sound cool.

However, you should ideally use it only with close friends and family. Responding in this way to someone else might lead to an awkward situation.

 

13. “Compliment accepted!”

What do you think is the most straightforward way to accept a compliment? I think it’s this particular response.

“Compliment accepted” is a calm and cool way to receive a compliment without expressing much about your feelings. 

Of course, this is not suitable for use in formal or professional settings. I’ll advise you to keep this one stored only for the frankest of friends and the frankest of moments. 

This is a witty response and the best way to deliver it would be to say it with a poker face. To make sure it does not make you sound too haughty, reserve this response for the right time. 

 
 

Conclusion

When you receive a compliment whether you’re on a date, in the workplace, at home, or out with friends, it’s always a good idea to go with your gut feeling.

But do that once you’ve got the above-mentioned responses in your mind. 

You might feel a bit awkward in the beginning, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll start receiving and responding to compliments like royalty. 

Of course, you need practice for that. You also need a lot of compliments to practice.

So, start wearing your best outfits and doing the best work so can get enough compliments to try all these unique and amazing compliment responses.