excuse you

phrase

An indignant response to an individual who has behaved rudely or insolently and has failed to apologize.

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Meanings

phrase
  1. CanadaUSderogatoryoftensarcasticAn indignant response to an individual who has behaved rudely or insolently and has failed to apologize.

    Excuse you, you're in my way.

    2000, Karen McCullah Lutz, Kirsten Smith, Legally Blonde
    2 more examples

    He raised his brows, 'Excuse me, or should I say, excuse you?'

    1996, Vickie Moore, This Time Forever, page 123

    Finally, the girl managed to utter, “Well, excuse you,” and turned to leave. George fumbled for words. “Wait. Don't go,” he pleaded. “Please, allow me to apologize. Can I, uh... buy you a Coke, or something?”

    2007, Gary Smiley, Seasons of Liberty, page 19

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
can i help you

Origin

By analogy with excuse me, which is used to apologize. First appears in the late twentieth century.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

excuse you. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/excuse%20you

MLA

“excuse you.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/excuse%20you. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “excuse you,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/excuse%20you.

Source: excuse you on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.