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About this sound

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Dalek voice clip from Doctor Who saying this is not war, this is pest control, used for confident takedowns, roasts and meme video edits online.

A single Dalek delivers the line in a harsh, metallic voice, flattening the threat in front of it into something beneath contempt. The delivery is cold, clipped and completely certain, with that familiar electronic rasp turning a simple insult into a declaration of total superiority. There is no anger or panic, just calm dismissal, which is what makes it so cutting. Played over a mismatch or an easy win, it instantly reframes the other side as an annoyance to be cleared away rather than a rival worth respecting, and the joke lands before anything else happens.

The line comes from the Doctor Who finale Doomsday in 2006, spoken by a Dalek to the Cybermen when they suggest joining forces against humanity. The Daleks reject the offer outright, treating millions of Cybermen as a minor infestation rather than an equal army. Clips of the exchange circulated on forums and video sites as Doctor Who memes grew, and the single sentence was later isolated for soundboards. It remains popular because it captures pure, arrogant dismissal in a few seconds that still works far outside its original science fiction context.

Pro Tip for Usage

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Drop it right before the payoff, not over it, and let the line finish clean before the visual hit lands. Pair it with a zoom on the weaker opponent and keep music low, because the metallic delivery loses impact under loud backing.

Use Cases

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  • Roasting a much weaker opponent in gaming clips.
  • Reacting to an easy boss fight victory online.
  • Captioning a confident comeback in a meme edit.
  • Mocking a tiny problem treated like drama.

Frequently Asked Questions

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What is the pest control sound effect?
It is a short Dalek voice clip from Doctor Who in which the Dalek tells the Cybermen this is not war, this is pest control, dismissing them as completely beneath its level.
Who says this is not war, this is pest control?
A Dalek says the line in the 2006 Doctor Who episode Doomsday, during a confrontation with the Cybermen. The harsh electronic voice and confident delivery made the quote one of the Dalek's most shared moments.
How do people use the pest control clip?
Creators place it over mismatched fights, easy wins and one sided arguments where one side is overwhelmingly stronger. It works as a punchline because the Dalek sounds calm and certain while treating a serious threat like a minor nuisance.

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