50 Essential English Proverbs: Meanings and Examples
There are 50 essential English proverbs with their meanings and examples to help you understand and use them in daily life.
Wisdom & Life Lessons
A stitch in time saves nine.
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Meaning: Solving a problem early prevents bigger issues later.
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Example: Fix that leak now; a stitch in time saves nine.
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Actions speak louder than words.
All that glitters is not gold.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
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Meaning: Don’t assume success before it happens.
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Example: He started spending his bonus before getting it—don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
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Look before you leap.
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Meaning: Think before making decisions.
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Example: He quit his job without a plan—he should have looked before he leapt.
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Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Rome wasn’t built in a day.
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Meaning: Great things take time.
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Example: Learning English takes time—Rome wasn’t built in a day.
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Practice makes perfect.
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Meaning: Repeating something helps you master it.
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Example: Keep practicing piano—practice makes perfect.
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You reap what you sow.
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Meaning: Your actions determine your future.
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Example: He cheated on the test and failed later—you reap what you sow.
Work & Success
No pain, no gain.
The early bird catches the worm.
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Meaning: Being early leads to success.
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Example: She arrived first and got the best deal—the early bird catches the worm.
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Beggars can’t be choosers.
A penny saved is a penny earned.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Better late than never.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.
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Meaning: Hard work is more important than natural ability.
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Example: She was not the best singer but practiced daily—hard work beats talent.
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Failing to plan is planning to fail.
Slow and steady wins the race.
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Meaning: Consistency leads to success.
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Example: He studied a little every day and passed—slow and steady wins the race.
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People & Relationships
Birds of a feather flock together.
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Meaning: People with similar interests stay together.
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Example: They both love reading—birds of a feather flock together.
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A friend in need is a friend indeed.
Love is blind.
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Meaning: Love makes people ignore faults.
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Example: She doesn’t see his mistakes—love is blind.
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Two heads are better than one.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Too many cooks spoil the broth.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Don’t judge a book by its cover.
It takes two to tango.
Old habits die hard.
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Meaning: It’s difficult to change habits.
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Example: He still smokes—old habits die hard.
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Situations & Advice
You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
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Meaning: Eating healthy prevents sickness.
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Example: Eat fruits every day—an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
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Out of sight, out of mind.
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Meaning: We forget things when we don’t see them.
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Example: She forgot about her old school—out of sight, out of mind.
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Necessity is the mother of invention.
Jack of all trades, master of none.
Every cloud has a silver lining.
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Meaning: Every problem has a positive side.
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Example: Losing the job led him to a better one—every cloud has a silver lining.
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Let sleeping dogs lie.
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Meaning: Don’t create trouble by bringing up old issues.
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Example: Don’t remind him of his past mistakes—let sleeping dogs lie.
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Fortune favors the bold.
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Meaning: Brave people succeed.
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Example: He took a risk and won—fortune favors the bold.
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A rolling stone gathers no moss.
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Meaning: Those who keep moving don’t settle.
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Example: He moves jobs every year—a rolling stone gathers no moss.
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Haste makes waste.
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Meaning: Rushing causes mistakes.
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Example: He finished quickly but made errors—haste makes waste.
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More Wisdom & Life Lessons
Blood is thicker than water.
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Meaning: Family relationships are stronger than other relationships.
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Example: He always supports his brother—blood is thicker than water.
Great minds think alike.
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Meaning: Intelligent people often have similar ideas.
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Example: We both chose the same answer—great minds think alike!
Half a loaf is better than none.
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Meaning: Having something is better than nothing.
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Example: I wanted a raise of $100, but I got $50—half a loaf is better than none.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
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Meaning: Don’t change something that works well.
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Example: The old machine still works fine—if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Live and let live.
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Meaning: Accept other people’s choices and opinions.
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Example: I don’t agree with his views, but live and let live.
Once bitten, twice shy.
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Meaning: After a bad experience, people are more cautious.
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Example: She avoids online shopping now—once bitten, twice shy.
The grass is always greener on the other side.
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Meaning: People think others have a better life.
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Example: He quit his job for another but regrets it—the grass is always greener on the other side.
There’s no smoke without fire.
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Meaning: Rumors often have some truth.
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Example: People say he’s dishonest—there’s no smoke without fire.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
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Meaning: You can only judge something after trying it.
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Example: I don’t know if this plan will work—the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
What goes around comes around.
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Example: He helped many people, and now they support him—what goes around comes around.