Find a Quotation by a Famous Person
If you do not use quotations in your writing, you should. Inserting quotations by famous people into your work is a great way to support your arguments, to add depth to your work, or to make your writing more entertaining.
Incorporating the wisdom of renowned individuals is a smart trick for making text more credible as it draws on the recognized authority of the quotations' authors. Similarly, clever or witty quotations will inject humour into a piece, engaging your readers and lightening the tone, while still supporting your ideas.
A List of the "Top Ten" Quotations by Author
Here is a list of 90 famous people whose quotations are likely to be useful in providing evidence for your arguments, illustrating your points, or simply entertaining your audience. (These are ordered by surname.)Do you know a great quotation? Please let us know. We'll add it.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
A
"You severely underestimate my apathy."
"The more you know, the more you realize you don't know."
"Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one."
"There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart." (from "Emma")
B
"It's deja vu all over again."
"There are better starters than me but I'm a strong finisher."
"A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon."
"Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without."
"Price is what you pay. Value is what you get."
C
"A day without laughter is a day wasted."
"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter."
"Respect yourself and others will respect you."
"A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous."
D
"No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another."
"First, think. Second, believe. Third, dream. And finally, dare."
"The cleverest of all, in my opinion, is the man who calls himself a fool at least once a month."
"Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic."
E
"Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration."
"The only source of knowledge is experience."
"Life is a journey, not a destination."
"Dealing with backstabbers, there was one thing I learned. They're only powerful when you got your back turned."
"Life is full of surprises, some good, some not so good."
F
"Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right."
"I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart."
"Well done is better than well said."
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on."
"Books are no more threatened by Kindle than stairs by elevators."
G
"You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist."
"You must be the change you want to see in the world."
"Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning."
"I have never advocated war except as a means of peace."
H
"The first draft of anything is sh*t."
"Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise."
I
J
"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock."
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
"To forge iron, one must be strong."
"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower."
K
"In man's struggle against the world, bet on the world."
"A thing of beauty is a joy forever."
"Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows."
"Middle class parents give 'values', not 'money'."
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
"The mind acts like an enemy for those who do not control it."
L
"The purpose of our lives is to be happy."
"I fear not the man who has practised 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practised one kick 10,000 times."
"Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans."
"To me, the past can be washed away, but a person's trust cannot be regained once lost."
"In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."
"Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing."
M
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."
"Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet."
"Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana."
"Workers of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains."
"I think it's possible for ordinary people to choose to be extraordinary."
N
"That which does not kill us makes us stronger."
O
"Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."
"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."
P
"You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right."
"Find out who you are and do it on purpose."
"When you control the ball, you control the score."
"Art is the elimination of the unnecessary."
"The measure of a man is what he does with power."
"I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity."
"When things go wrong, don't go with them."
Q
R
"Your love makes me strong, your hate makes me unstoppable."
"Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."
"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends."
S
"Better three hours too soon than a minute too late."
"Don't believe everything you hear. Real eyes, Realize, Real lies"
"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself."
"Wonder is the beginning of wisdom."
"I don't know if you know who you are until you lose who you are."
T
"The present is theirs; the future, for which I have really worked, is mine."
"I am inevitable."
"If you want to be happy, be."
"The secret of getting ahead is getting started."
U
V
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."
"In a conflict between the heart and the brain, follow your heart."
"If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent Him."
W
"It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one."
"I am not in danger, Skyler. I am the danger."
"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."
Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Windsor)
"Grief is the price we pay for love."
"For most of history, Anonymous was a woman."
X
"The sun will not be able to pass through, so dense will be the darts and arrows flying."
Y
"Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking."
"Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you?"
Z
"You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great."
"If I die trying, at least I tried."
Quotations Test
Do you know a lot of quotations? Can you tell who probably said a quotation based on its style and content? Well, let's see!
- This test has questions.
- A correct answer is worth 5 points.
- You can get up to 5 bonus points for a speedy answer.
- Some questions demand more than one answer. You must get every part right.
- Beware! Wrong answers score 0 points.
- 🏆 If you beat one of the top 3 scores, you will be invited to apply for the Hall of Fame.
Guru (+)
Hero (+)
Captain (+)
Sergeant (+)
Recruit (+)
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