--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have too many high-sounding words, and…" description: "\"We have too many high-sounding words, and too few actions that correspond with them.\" — Abigail Adams" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/abigail-adams-9209_action_we-have-too-many-high-sounding-words-and_2158150.png" --- # We have too many high-sounding words, and too few actions… ![“We have too many high-sounding words, and too few actions that correspond with them.” quote by Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/abigail-adams-9209_action_we-have-too-many-high-sounding-words-and_2158150.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/abigail-adams-9209_action_we-have-too-many-high-sounding-words-and_2158150.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/abigail-adams-9209_action_we-have-too-many-high-sounding-words-and_2158150.png) > “We have too many high-sounding words, and too few actions that correspond with them.” [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Words without action are empty; meaningful change requires deeds matching rhetoric. **In simple terms:** Talk is cheap; act on it. Key Takeaway Match speech with deeds. Themes activism integrity language Mood motivational thoughtful Type ethical civic When to use this quote - political reform - community projects - personal commitments Key Concepts civic duty ethical consistency Questions to Reflect On - What actions can you take to back your words? - How do you ensure your language stays grounded? A Different Perspective Action may be constrained by resources or opposition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [“You cannot be, I know, nor do I wish to see you, an inactive spectator…We have too many high sounding words, and too few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/you-cannot-be-i-know-nor-do-i-wish-to-see-you-an-inactive-spectator/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [I've never been into the typical R&B voice, with runs and bluesy sounding words. That doesn't suit me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fka-twigs/i-ve-never-been-into-the-typical-r-b-voice-with-runs-and-bluesy/) [FKA twigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fka-twigs/) > [“The worthy officer had just given birth to this high-sounding adverb...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/the-worthy-officer-had-just-given-birth-to-this-high-sounding-adverb/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“The big problem was subvocalization, or the sounding out of words in his mind as he read them. He couldn’t seem to squelch the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-phillips/the-big-problem-was-subvocalization-or-the-sounding-out-of-words-in/) [Richard Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-phillips/) > [Others do not define you - you define yourself through your words and actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-handel/others-do-not-define-you-you-define-yourself-through-your-words-and/) [Karen Handel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-handel/) > [I am not imposed upon by fine words; I can see what actions mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/i-am-not-imposed-upon-by-fine-words-i-can-see-what-actions-mean/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [Wisdom teaches us to do, as well as to talk; and to make our words and actions all of a colour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/wisdom-teaches-us-to-do-as-well-as-to-talk-and-to-make-our-words-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [I mean, my voice has gotten a little deeper sounding as I've gotten older, I think. I noticed that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-jackson/i-mean-my-voice-has-gotten-a-little-deeper-sounding-as-i-ve-gotten/) [Alan Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-jackson/) > [There is an atmosphere of well-sounding oratory that likes to attach itself to dress clothes. Away with it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/there-is-an-atmosphere-of-well-sounding-oratory-that-likes-to-attach/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm doing more than just making songs for the radio. I want it to be a well rounded sounding experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario/i-m-doing-more-than-just-making-songs-for-the-radio-i-want-it-to-be-a/) [Mario](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario/) > [I don't try to worry about sounding like anybody because I know I have my own tone, my own sound. It's just about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ro-james/i-don-t-try-to-worry-about-sounding-like-anybody-because-i-know-i/) [Ro James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ro-james/) > [The problem with taking amps to a shop is that they come back sounding like another amp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-ray-vaughan/the-problem-with-taking-amps-to-a-shop-is-that-they-come-back/) [Stevie Ray Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-ray-vaughan/) > [I'm sounding out the silence, avoiding all the words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/i-m-sounding-out-the-silence-avoiding-all-the-words/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [Some things don't wind up sounding like you'd expect, which is just as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-frith/some-things-don-t-wind-up-sounding-like-you-d-expect-which-is-just-as/) [Fred Frith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-frith/) > [I always tell people that I'll sound exactly like Alanis Morissette after I've had more boyfriends. I'll be just as anguished-sounding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-branch/i-always-tell-people-that-i-ll-sound-exactly-like-alanis-morissette/) [Michelle Branch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-branch/) ## More by Abigail Adams > [How difficult the task to quench the fire and the pride of private ambition, and to sacrifice ourselves and all our hopes and expectations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/how-difficult-the-task-to-quench-the-fire-and-the-pride-of-private/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [I can hear of the brilliant accomplishments of any of my sex with pleasure and rejoice in that liberality of sentiment which acknowledges them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/i-can-hear-of-the-brilliant-accomplishments-of-any-of-my-sex-with/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [These are the times in which a genius would wish to live. It is not in the still calm of life, or the repose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/these-are-the-times-in-which-a-genius-would-wish-to-live-it-is-not-in/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [You cannot know, should I discribe to you; the feelings of a parent . . . . Four years have already past away since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/you-cannot-know-should-i-discribe-to-you-the-feelings-of-a-parent/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [Deliver me from your cold phlegmatic preachers, politicians, friends, lovers and husbands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/deliver-me-from-your-cold-phlegmatic-preachers-politicians-friends/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [The habits of a vigorous mind are born in contending with difficulties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/the-habits-of-a-vigorous-mind-are-born-in-contending-with-difficulties/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [The only chance for much intellectual improvement in the female sex, was to be found in the families of the educated class and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/the-only-chance-for-much-intellectual-improvement-in-the-female-sex/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [Many of our disappointments and much of our unhappiness arise from our forming false notions of things and persons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/many-of-our-disappointments-and-much-of-our-unhappiness-arise-from/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [To be good, and do good, is the whole duty of man comprised in a few words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/to-be-good-and-do-good-is-the-whole-duty-of-man-comprised-in-a-few/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [What is meat for one is not for another--no accounting for fancy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/what-is-meat-for-one-is-not-for-another-no-accounting-for-fancy/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [What is it that affectionate parents require of their Children; for all their care, anxiety, and toil on their accounts? Only that they would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/what-is-it-that-affectionate-parents-require-of-their-children-for/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [I've always felt that a person's intelligence is directly reflected by the number of conflicting points of view he can entertain simultaneously on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/i-ve-always-felt-that-a-person-s-intelligence-is-directly-reflected/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [The house shakes...with the roar of the cannon. No sleep for me tonight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/the-house-shakes-with-the-roar-of-the-cannon-no-sleep-for-me-tonight/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [A little of what you call frippery is very necessary towards looking like the rest of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/a-little-of-what-you-call-frippery-is-very-necessary-towards-looking/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [Well, knowledge is a fine thing, and mother Eve thought so; but she smarted so severely for hers, that most of her daughters have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/well-knowledge-is-a-fine-thing-and-mother-eve-thought-so-but-she/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) [Explore all 74 Abigail Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have too many high-sounding words, and too few actions that correspond with them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Abigail Adams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/we-have-too-many-high-sounding-words-and-too-few-actions-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Action" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/we-have-too-many-high-sounding-words-and-too-few-actions-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/abigail-adams-9209_action_we-have-too-many-high-sounding-words-and_2158150.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/abigail-adams-9209_action_we-have-too-many-high-sounding-words-and_2158150.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/abigail-adams-9209_action_we-have-too-many-high-sounding-words-and_2158150.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We have too many high-sounding words, and too few actions that correspond with them.” — Abigail Adams", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Abigail Adams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We have too many high-sounding words,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/we-have-too-many-high-sounding-words-and-too-few-actions-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/we-have-too-many-high-sounding-words-and-too-few-actions-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```