Verb to describe a way of talking to people as if they owed you something? [closed]

Honestly, I can't think of a widely-used single term to describe what you're talking about.

In a wider conversation on the topic, you might say that your saviour has started acting entitled since the event, that they've come to expect something as a result of their good deed, that they feel like you're in their debt. They've become somewhat demanding.

I would always use it in a sentence that clarifies what you're saying, but these terms can shorten your description.


To pat yourself on the back or to toot your own horn are both phrases that suggest self-congratulatory actions, usually taken because person does not feel that they are getting the praise they deserve from an external source. The latter phrase in particular indicates a rather loud and public profession of your own greatness. Although these phrases do indicate a lack of external praise, they are not limited to cases where something has been done specifically for another person.

Another phrase to describe what the gift giver is doing might be guilt tripping, which is the intentional act of making someone feel bad in order to induce them to do something. Here, the gift giver constantly talks up their own generosity, highlighting how indebted the gift receiver should feel - there's definitely a subtle undertone of "you owe me" when the gift giver is constantly seeking gratitude and reminding the gift receiver of their "selfless" act. The giver can later guilt trip the receiver into doing something by making them feel bad about having received such a gift without reciprocating.