20 Best Responses to "All Talk No Action"

You must have been in a situation where the worst you can do is boast of how you can do extremely bad things while, in truth, you are just a lanky young man in search of superman.Your mouth can be a good defense weapon in fights that your hands have no use in. However, what happens when you do it so much that everyone now considers you ‘All talk and no action’?

Meaning of "All talk and no action"

‘All talk and no action’ implies that a person is only good at boasting and promising but never does as he says. It is often used as an insult to dare a person whom the speaker thinks is pretending to be threatening.One of the best responses to ‘All talk and no action’ is ‘Try me’. This retains your boast and instills some fear in the speaker.However, it’s much better if your boasts were true.

20 Best Responses to "All Talk No Action"

1. I wait for the right moment to act.
2. I don’t see a need to prove myself to you.
3. That’s what you think?
4. You wouldn’t be here if I started acting.
5. I used to think it was called Self-control
6. This method of manipulation doesn’t work anymore.
7. So far, Yes. Don’t push me
8. Thank you if you are saying I’m not a brute.
9. Or else, I’d be in jail by now.
10. If you want action, stop getting in the way.
11. Do you want to see how much damage I can do?
12. I guess I talk too much.
13. You have been too cowardly to dare me.
14. No one has forced you to listen for so long.
15. I was waiting to hear that from you.
16. I still want you around.
17. Whether I act or not is totally up to you.
18. Try me then.
19. I’ve been waiting for you to push me to the wall.
20. I will act when it makes sense to do so.

I wait for the right moment to act

‘I wait for the right moment to act’ is a good defense for yourself and your boasts when you are called ‘All talk and no action’.This response implies that you have only been talking without acting because you always wait for the right time to act and you haven’t seen the right time. This however may not sustain the initial quality of your boasting.This works better if the speaker is referring to your action against something or someone else. However, if the speaker says ‘All talk and no action’ to dare you to take action against him/her, this will seem like a bad excuse for your weakness.

I see no need to prove myself to you

‘I see no need to prove myself to you’ is another excuse to hold yourself back when you are called ‘All talk and no action’.This response implies that you haven’t acted only because there is no need to prove how much you can do to the other person.You are implying that you don’t find the person worthy enough for the terrible things you really can do. You can make this clearer by stating people you would rather show your terrible actions to.Sometimes, the phrase, ‘All talk and no action’, can just be a way to make you work for the speaker. He/she may be using it as a way to manipulate you into doing something that you don’t want to do yet.You can give this response to show that you don’t care about his/her comments on your abilities or inabilities.

That’s what you think?

‘That’s what you think?’ is a mildly threatening response to ‘All talk and no action’ but can also be easily seen as a futile threat.This response is a rhetorical question asking if the speaker really thinks you only talk but can’t act. With a slightly threatening voice or a daring smile, you can put back the fear in the speaker’s head.However, if you are not saying it in the right way, the speaker will definitely think you are just dragging things.This response could also be better if you really are ready to take action immediately you ask.Sometimes, the speaker is only saying the phrase just to make you think he/she doubts you and you can try to prove yourself by taking action faster.You can ask this rhetorical question and state why you would rather wait than act in that moment.

You wouldn’t be here if I started acting.

‘You wouldn’t be here if I started acting’ is a threatening response to ‘All talk and no action’ meant to instill fear in the speaker.This response implies that you know how inactive you are in comparison to your words. It also clearly states how the consequences of those actions could have affected the speaker greatly.By saying this, you would be implying how you’ve been controlling yourself from taking action.This response is more suitable if the speaker is referring to your actions against another person or something. However, if the speaker were saying this to dare you, you need a threatening look and voice to properly scare him/her.

Ouch. I used to think it was called Self-control

‘Ouch. I used to think it’s called Self-control’ is a playful response and excuse when you are accused of being ‘All talk and no action’. This response implies that you didn’t take action based on your threats only because you’ve been controlling your anger and the urge to act. You can say this to joke about the interaction or if the accusation was made playfully.This response also sounds playful so you can use it in controlling yourself from being provoked to act by the speaker.The speaker could be making the accusation just to see you do something to someone else faster. The speaker could also just really doubt you while you don’t want to harm him/her.

This method of manipulation doesn’t work anymore

‘This method of manipulation doesn’t work anymore’ is a way of calling out the speaker’s provocation strategy when he/she accuses you of being ‘All talk and no action’.This response implies that you know the speaker is trying to manipulate you to act and it isn’t working on you. This means you are sticking with your prior decision not to act.A person can accuse you of being ‘All talk and no action’ not because it is true but because he/she wants you to act quickly against something or a person.If you take the bait, you have allowed yourself to become his/her puppet whose buttons are mere words. By calling out the attempt, you maintain your confidence.

So far, Yes. Don’t push me

‘So far, Yes. Don’t push me’ is a two-part response that calmly acknowledges the accusation of being ‘All talk and no action’ and further threatens the accuser.This response comes in two parts. The first phrase agrees with the accusation of you being all talk and no action.The second statement emphasizes the fact that refusing to act doesn’t mean you can’t do real damage.This response, however, may appear as though you are taking a bait if the speaker won’t be the one bearing the consequences of your anger.

Thank you if you are saying I’m not a brute.

‘Thank you if you are saying I’m not a brute’ is a calm way to joke with the accusation of being all talk and no action.This response implies that you really don’t cause trouble and you are glad that the speaker acknowledges you not being a brute. This is a good response to control yourself with.The speaker can emphasize you being ‘All talk and no action’ just to provoke you into harming or going against someone else. This is a good way of saying you will not allow yourself to be used.

Or else, I’d be in jail by now

‘Or else, I’d be in jail by now’ is a good way of admitting that you are all talk and no action while giving a good reason for being so.This emphasizes your ability to control yourself. It also gives the speaker your reason for not acting on everything you may have boasted about.This response is slightly playful. It’s a way of joking with the accusation and staying calm.

If you want action, stop getting in the way

‘If you want action, stop getting in the way’ is a good way of blaming the speaker for your inability to act on what you have boasted about or threatened to do.This response implies that the accuser has been stopping you from doing certain ways. He/she doesn’t have to be directly standing in the way.This is suitable if the accuser is ranting about your inaction against another person or something that you are equally angry about. The speaker will probably ask how he/she is standing in the way

Do you want to see how much damage I can do?

‘You want to see how much damage I can do?’ is a mildly threatening response to ‘All talk and no action’.If the speaker wants you to act against another person, you can use this question to direct the heat on him/her. Let the speaker know that you would rather start with him/her.This response is suitable if you really don’t want to act on your threats.

I guess I talk too much

‘I guess I talk too much’ is a playful way to admit that you are all talk and no action.You can use this to joke with the accusation. You can also see this response as a good way of controlling yourself from doing something that can cause damage.

You have been too cowardly to dare me.

‘You have been too cowardly to dare me’ is a response that dares the accuser to dare you so you can prove that you have a lot of action in you.This response implies that the only reason you haven’t acted is because the speaker is being a coward by not pushing you to the wall. If the speaker is daring you to hurt him/her, this response should instill more fear in him/her.You are indirectly telling the speaker that he/she needs to do more to make you angry enough.

No one has forced you to listen for so long.

‘No one has forced you to listen for so long’ is a calm response to ‘All talk and no action’ which admits the accusation.Use this response as a method of controlling yourself from being provoked by the accusation. You can also say this if the conversation is a joke.

I’ve been waiting to hear that from you

‘I’ve been waiting to hear that from you' is a playful response to ‘All talk and no action.’ You can say this to joke with the conversation or show that you can’t be provoked.This response implies that you already expected the accusation and it has no effect on you. If the speaker is daring you to hurt himself/herself or someone else, this response means you won’t do anything about it.

I still want you around.

‘I still want you around’ is an excuse for being all talk and no action when having an argument with a partner.Your partner may be daring you to do something against him or herself with this accusation. You can give this response and walk away. This response implies that you like the person and you won’t hurt him/her.

Whether I act or not is totally up to you

‘Whether I act or not is totally up to you’ is a response that blames the speaker for your inactions based on your boasts or threats.You can say this to mean the speaker has not dared you much enough for you to hurt him/her. The response may also mean that the speaker is standing in the way of your actions against something or another person.

Try me then

‘Try me then’ is a short threatening response to ‘All talk and no action.’If he/she is daring you to make a move against him/her, this response implies that the speaker only has to push you to make you do it.

I’ve been waiting for you to push me to the wall

‘I’ve been waiting for you to push me to the wall’ admits that you’ve been all talk and no action but only because you’ve been waiting to be provoked.This response may mean that you have been pushed to the wall and you will act against the speaker or someone else. It may also be used to dare the speaker to push you a little further

I will act when it makes sense to do so

‘I will act when it makes sense to do so’ is a good excuse to justify why you are all talk and no action in that situation.This response means you have refused to act on your threats only because you didn’t think it made much sense to act.You are promising to make a move when the time is right but this doesn’t satisfy the speaker who wants you to do something quickly.

Wrap Up

‘All talk and no action’ means a person only talks about what he/she can do without actually doing it. This is mostly used to dare you into doing something that you either can’t do or don’t want to do.It’s best to respond in a way that shows you cannot be baited and you are not weak. Whichever response you choose should be determined by the tone of the conversation, how you feel about it, and who bears the consequences of your actions.