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Words Quotes

Words carry more weight than we plan for.

This set spans the everyday and the pointed - a playful warning about overusing absolute words like "always" and "never," and a reminder that English still has more words than any one person can hold in their head. Related reading in Good Quotes.

I see that it is impossible to remember a long poem without practice and repetition; so is forgetfulness of the words of instruction engendered in the heart that has ceased to value them.

Quotes by Xenophon

Socrates gave a lifetime to the outpouring of his substance in the shape of the greatest benefits bestowed on all who cared to receive them. In other words, he made those who lived in his society better men and sent...

Quotes by Xenophon

Thus, that one can find no place to walk through the breadth of the earth is not because the earth is not tranquil but because the danger to every step of the traveler lies generally with words.

Quotes by Xun Kuang

Some guy hit my fender, and I told him, 'Be fruitful and multiply,' but not in those words.

Quotes by Woody Allen

I consider the process of gestation just as important as when you're actually sitting down putting words to the paper.

Quotes by Wole Soyinka

I grew up in an atmosphere where words were an integral part of culture.

Quotes by Wole Soyinka

Take it not amiss, O speech, that I borrow weighty words, and later try hard to make them seem light.

Quotes by Wislawa Szymborska

I'm fighting against the bad poet who is prone to using too many words.

Quotes by Wislawa Szymborska

The Blues are the true facts of life expressed in words and song, inspiration, feeling, and understanding.

Quotes by Willie Dixon

A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.

Quotes by William Strunk, Jr.

Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.

Quotes by William Strunk, Jr.

Omit needless words.

Quotes by William Strunk, Jr.

There will soon come an armed contest between capital and labor. They will oppose each other, not with words and arguments, but with shot and shell, gun-powder and cannon. The better classes are tired of the insane howling of the...

Quotes by William Tecumseh Sherman

Talking isn't doing. It is a kind of good deed to say well; and yet words are not deeds.

William Shakespeare

Well-written words are music.

Quotes by William Shatner

A fool and his words are soon parted.

Quotes by William Shenstone

Images have a unique power to impart that which is beyond words.

Quotes by William Shirley

Words alone cannot fully convey the realities of the soul or the greatness of the human spirit.

Quotes by William Shirley

You don't need many words if you already know what you're talking about.

Quotes by William Stafford

I welcome new words, or old words used in new ways, provided the result is more precision, added color or greater expressiveness.

Quotes by William Safire

Frequently Asked Questions

What do these quotes about 'words' share?
They touch on advice about the words "always" and "never," admiration for Shakespeare's vocabulary, a warning phrased as "mark my words," and a careful, deliberate approach to public statements.
Is there a quote warning against absolute words like 'always' and 'never'?
Yes. One quote wryly notes, "Always and never are two words you should always remember never to use" - a playful, self-contradicting piece of advice about avoiding absolutes. For more witty lines, see Like quotes.
Is there a quote about Shakespeare's influence on vocabulary?
Yes - one speaker credits Shakespeare with teaching them "that there are more words in the English language than I have got in my head." For more thoughtful reflections, browse Good quotes.
Is there a quote about holding a politician accountable?
Yes. One quote warns that if a national legislature does not "hold Obama accountable, he and his radical cohorts will destroy the tree of liberty," ending with "Just mark my words." It's presented here simply as the speaker's own stated warning. For more on strong convictions, see Life quotes.
Is there a quote about choosing words carefully in public?
Yes - one speaker explains that because anything they say might be "blasted out in public," they "measure my words incredibly carefully because of the scrutiny" they're under. For more on thoughtful communication, see Love quotes.

A few quotes here also touch on political conviction and the discipline required when every public word gets scrutinized. Explore more in Life Quotes or Like Quotes.