How do you beat a know-it-all?

Answer 1

It depends on how much they know. Mabye if you study more you can beat them.

Are you annoyed with them because they appear to know more than you?

Or do they bother you because they're the classic know-it-all who, no matter what anyone else says, always knows more, or has better information, and so on - in other words, they always have to top everyone else, be better than those around them, even if sometimes you suspect they're making up facts and figures just to sound smarter?

If it's the first, there's no reason to be irritated by them, even if their manner might be unfortunate. Learn from them; that's one of the things knowledgeable people are for.

If it's the second case, the more you argue with them the worse they'll get. The only way to deal with the real, obnoxious know-it-all is to show complete lack of interest in them and in their vast self-esteem and possibly feigned general knowledge. Just let them rattle on, say, 'Oh, how interesting,' or, 'I didn't know that,' and turn away. It works.

But be very sure your motives aren't driven by a suspicion they really do know more than you and that this makes you want to put them down. If this is the case, you can be certain those around will see right through you and you'll be doing yourself no good at all.