“Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.”
Short Quotes
Big wisdom in few words—the best short quotes pack a lifetime of insight into a single sentence. Perfect for captions, cards, or a moment of daily reflection.
2520 quotes · Page 1 of 105
“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”
“If it is not right, do not do it; if it is not true, do not say it.”
Attribution note: Source disputed or unverified.
Attribution note: Source disputed or unverified.
Attribution note: Source disputed or unverified.
“You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”
Attribution note: Source disputed or unverified.
“You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.”
Attribution note: Source disputed or unverified.
Attribution note: Source disputed or unverified.
“Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.”
Attribution note: Source disputed or unverified.
About short quotes
Some of the best writing ever done fits in a single line. These short quotes are mostly under fifteen words, which makes them good for captions, journal headers, a note on the fridge or a message to a friend. Oscar Wilde and Mark Twain are well represented, because no one compressed a joke or an insight better.
Short does not have to mean shallow. Robert Frost needed three words for “Nothing gold can stay,” and Camus needed five for “One must imagine Sisyphus happy.” Lao Tzu’s journey of a thousand miles and Nietzsche’s “Without music, life would be a mistake” have each outlasted libraries of longer books. Tap any quote to read it in full with its author and source, or copy it with one click.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a good short quote for an Instagram caption?
- Try Robert Frost’s “The best way out is always through,” Oscar Wilde’s “I can resist everything except temptation,” or Seneca’s “While we are postponing, life speeds by.”
- What is the shortest quote in the collection?
- Robert Frost’s “Nothing gold can stay,” the title and final line of his 1923 poem, is one of the shortest at just four words.
- Can I copy these quotes?
- Yes. Each quote has a copy button that copies the text with the author’s name.
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