I use the term secular humanist or freethinker. The term atheist I usually provide in definition form, such as that I think there is insufficient evidence for the divine. I then often get the question, isn't that the definition for agnostic? To which I reply, no, that is the definition for atheist, or agnostic atheist, after which I must explain how agnostic and atheist are two separate answers to two very different questions and how positive belief in something is required to believe where lack of belief requires no positive belief. It's all rather confusing to people, so I try to avoid the "A" word.

If they ask.

I live in a conservative community now (the one I grew up in, but I went away for 20 years and came back). I never deny being atheist, but I don't generally steer conversations towards religion or lack thereof, so it rarely comes up. When it does, I am honest about my atheist stance, and not defensive about it. I occasionally get the 'how can you be atheist when looking at how amazing/complex/etc. the world is' question, and I give a brief but technical and logical argument in response, probably more than they hoped to hear, but all very polite and assertive. The church I was raised in taught me well how to win religious debates, so I guess I am using those same skills now to present my athest stance in a way that is informative rather than offensive or an invitation for religious folks to try to convert me. I am not ashamed or uncertain about my atheist stance, and see no reason to pretend otherwise.

I just say.
I do not believe in any god.
Muak!
Oh people go nuts with the kiss

If asked, I will say I am an atheist. I am content to leave it there, but I will discuss the subject without compunction if questioned further.

I am just as proud not to believe as they are to do so. I feel no difference in me expressing my lack of belief to them if they express their belief to me first.

I just say it

Je suis musulmans

I don't unless they ask, then I just tell them and if they start with oh you just got to pray for him to reveal himself and all that I say I used to be a Christian and you don't how badly I wish still believed like that, life was so much easier when I belived I had someone looking out for me.

Just say it! Assuming that you've done your homework!

Yes
....tell them you are a Capital A "Atheist" and say you wouldn't push the xian religion on Jews so do the same and keep your hell threats and heaven bribes for other xians

I think we are all aware that Political Correctness has found its way into most interpersonal communications. It seems the purpose behind this is to avoid giving offence to any other human being or group relating to their physical attributes or intellectual processes. This princip!e is currently applied in issues regarding, behaviour, social interaction, political affiliations and religious bliefs; but is often ignored in discussions regarding religious issues. Many religious believers (and "pretend" believers) feel justified in responding quickly and strongly critically to the statement '" am an atheist" or I am not convinced that there is a god.

Speak your mind and try variations. ..I THINK I don't believe. ...matters not the religionist query put 2 u .....I am a CAPITAL Atheist a noun not an adjective like xian

I don't unless they ask and then I say either,' I am atheist' or 'I have no god' .
Depending upon their answer I either stay to chat a bit or get off

I am honest but don't offer information about myself if the other person never asked, or unless they give me some reason to speak on the subject. For those who ask my beliefs I am honest but typically start by telling them I was raised Pentacostal, studied scriptures sincerely and eventually came to realize every organized religion in existence touts ideas that are most certainly either wrong or at least unsupported by their own scriptures. I point out as example the endless splintering of Protestant denominations, each one claiming theirs is the accurate one. Then I point to the Bible itself saying "No humans can ever fully comprehend the mind of God" and point to the contradiction that human-led churches appear to claim to do just that. I typically don't tell them that I believe NONE of the notion of a sentient deity looking after my life, instead keeping it more vague and explaining why doubt in any specific faith system is a reasonable position to take. I may eventually use the term "agnostic" but only after I have explained why I no longer believe what I was raised to believe. I don't use the term "atheist" unless I want to piss them off for being strident about their own delusional beliefs. In actuality, I am both agnostic and atheist, because these terms overlap and just have somewhat different focus and emphasis.

Depending on how obnoxious they've been, I sometimes tell them, "I'm not superstitious" or "I don't believe in mythology".

Call yourself a pastafarian

I just say I'm a follower of Odin of the Norse beliefs, the beliefs of my ancestors.

I usually say "I'm not a believer." or "I don't believe that." I don't feel the need to label myself, and in the part of the fundamentalist Christian backwoods where I live, people expect atheists to have horns and walk around munching on babies.

Just tell them there is no god and then when they start to argue, ask them to PROVE IT!!

Yes I say it but have never had an adverse reaction but hereabout with a Protestant /Catholic divide - no one is really interested in Atheists we are of no account whatsoever though i have heard some people say back to me "ah thats a shame!" I usually just laugh no none has come accross as heavy just mystified.

Living in a mostly red state (evangelicals up the wazoo), it's pretty much not brought up unless you like being attacked by 20 or more nonthinkers at a time.
My exwife and former church are about the only ones aware at this point, and I don't have to deal with the nonsense of either one of those now.
MANY people online know (Twitter) but it's in my profile.

“Here there comes a practical question which has often troubled me. Whenever I go into a foreign country or a prison or any similar place they always ask me what is my religion.

I never know whether I should say "Agnostic" or whether I should say "Atheist". It is a very difficult question and I daresay that some of you have been troubled by it. As a philosopher, if I were speaking to a purely philosophic audience I should say that I ought to describe myself as an Agnostic, because I do not think that there is a conclusive argument by which one prove that there is not a God.

On the other hand, if I am to convey the right impression to the ordinary man in the street I think I ought to say that I am an Atheist, because when I say that I cannot prove that there is not a God, I ought to add equally that I cannot prove that there are not the Homeric gods.

None of us would seriously consider the possibility that all the gods of Homer really exist, and yet if you were to set to work to give a logical demonstration that Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, and the rest of them did not exist you would find it an awful job. You could not get such proof.

Therefore, in regard to the Olympic gods, speaking to a purely philosophical audience, I would say that I am an Agnostic. But speaking popularly, I think that all of us would say in regard to those gods that we were Atheists. In regard to the Christian God, I should, I think, take exactly the same line. ”

Bertrand Russell

I usually don't unless they start to get really preachy. Then I tell them and if they push it explain to them why I am. Surprisingly I have had some great philosophical conversations with a few of the more open minded types and have gotten them to look more closely at the hypocrisy of many believers. The ones who are shocked and can't accept it are another story. Had some woman throwing holy water on me and turned around and asked her if she saw it boiling? She ran off in a huff. Family members are the hardest. I avoid discussing it as much as possible and have had a pretty successful time telling them that if they bring it up I am leaving. Got up and left in the middle of Thanksgiving dinner once and have never had a problem since.

I tell one and all stick with the commandment, LOVE THE NEIGHBOR AS THY SELF and shut the hell up about all the other bs.......