--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The best sentence? The shortest." description: "\"The best sentence? The shortest.\" — Anatole France" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41c/anatole-france-1443_best_the-best-sentence-the-shortest-3107046_3107046.jpg" --- # The best sentence? The shortest. ![“The best sentence? The shortest.” quote by Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41c/anatole-france-1443_best_the-best-sentence-the-shortest-3107046_3107046.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41c/anatole-france-1443_best_the-best-sentence-the-shortest-3107046_3107046.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41c/anatole-france-1443_best_the-best-sentence-the-shortest-3107046_3107046.jpg) > “The best sentence? The shortest.” [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Brevity often carries the strongest impact; concise expression can be most effective. **In simple terms:** Short sentences can be most powerful. Key Takeaway Value concise communication. Themes communication writing clarity Mood thoughtful instructive Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - public speaking - marketing copy - text messaging - academic abstracts Key Concepts minimalism rhetoric Questions to Reflect On - When does brevity sacrifice meaning? - How can you ensure clarity in few words? A Different Perspective Over‑shortening may omit necessary nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [The finest words in the world are only vain sounds if you can't understand them. The best sentence? The shortest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/the-finest-words-in-the-world-are-only-vain-sounds-if-you-can-t/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [''I Love You''is the best sentence in the whole world... But I believe that: ''I Love You Too''is the best. Because many gets to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-you-is-the-best-sentence-in-the-whole-world-but-i-believe-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > ['I am' is the shortest and most complete sentence in the English language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/i-am-is-the-shortest-and-most-complete-sentence-in-the-english/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword. If you would take a man's life, you owe it to him to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-man-who-passes-the-sentence-should-swing-the-sword-if-you-would/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The sentence must also contain its own apology for being spoken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-sentence-must-also-contain-its-own-apology-for-being-spoken/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The maker of a sentence launches out into the infinite...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-maker-of-a-sentence-launches-out-into-the-infinite/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I think that if you have a knack for storytelling, and you work really hard at it, you'll have a chance to tap into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ross/i-think-that-if-you-have-a-knack-for-storytelling-and-you-work-really/) [Adam Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ross/) > [ I don't think there is a single sentence in this whole book \[East of Eden\] that does not either develop character, carry on the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-don-t-think-there-is-a-single-sentence-in-this-whole-book-east-of/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I would write one true sentence, and then go on from there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-would-write-one-true-sentence-and-then-go-on-from-there/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-strunk-jr/vigorous-writing-is-concise-a-sentence-should-contain-no-unnecessary/) [William Strunk, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-strunk-jr/) > [The last sentence of a book is, of course, where you have to stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/the-last-sentence-of-a-book-is-of-course-where-you-have-to-stop/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [I'll have a sentence in my head that's kind of beautiful and interesting, but I'm not sure why or where it's coming from. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-hertzfeldt/i-ll-have-a-sentence-in-my-head-that-s-kind-of-beautiful-and/) [Don Hertzfeldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-hertzfeldt/) > [The first sentence cant be written until the final sentence is written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-first-sentence-cant-be-written-until-the-final-sentence-is-written/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [A sentence can offer a moment of quiet, it can crackle with energy or it can just lie there, listless and uninteresting. What makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-hale/a-sentence-can-offer-a-moment-of-quiet-it-can-crackle-with-energy-or/) [Constance Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-hale/) > [A conversation does not have to be scintillating in order to be memorable. I once met a president of the United States, and his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/a-conversation-does-not-have-to-be-scintillating-in-order-to-be/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) ## More by Anatole France > [“No, let us not conquer the heavens. It is enough to have the power to do so. War engenders war, and victory defeat. God,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/no-let-us-not-conquer-the-heavens-it-is-enough-to-have-the-power-to/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [We have drugs to make women speak, but none to keep them silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/we-have-drugs-to-make-women-speak-but-none-to-keep-them-silent/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [It is human nature to think wisely and to act in an absurd fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/it-is-human-nature-to-think-wisely-and-to-act-in-an-absurd-fashion/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [The law ... allows rich as well as poor to sleep under bridges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/the-law-allows-rich-as-well-as-poor-to-sleep-under-bridges/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [“...the adventure of the soul among the masterpieces.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/the-adventure-of-the-soul-among-the-masterpieces/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [“If fifty million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/if-fifty-million-people-say-a-foolish-thing-it-is-still-a-foolish/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [The future is a convenient place for dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/the-future-is-a-convenient-place-for-dreams/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [The truth is that life is delicious, horrible, charming, frightful, sweet, bitter, and that is everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/the-truth-is-that-life-is-delicious-horrible-charming-frightful-sweet/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [“And what, above all, I blame in you is that you have not married in compliance with the law and given children to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/and-what-above-all-i-blame-in-you-is-that-you-have-not-married-in/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [An old philosopher said to Monsieur Coignard, a Reverend Father: 'You are a pig!' To which Abad Coignard answered: 'You flatter me, sir. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/an-old-philosopher-said-to-monsieur-coignard-a-reverend-father-you/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [A people living under the perpetual menace of war and invasion is very easy to govern. It demands no social reform. It does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/a-people-living-under-the-perpetual-menace-of-war-and-invasion-is/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [Until one has loved an animal a part of one's soul remains unawakened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/until-one-has-loved-an-animal-a-part-of-one-s-soul-remains-unawakened/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [The faculty of doubting is rare among men. A few choice spirits carry the germs of it in them, but these do not develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/the-faculty-of-doubting-is-rare-among-men-a-few-choice-spirits-carry/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [When a thing has been said and well said, have no scruple; take it and copy it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/when-a-thing-has-been-said-and-well-said-have-no-scruple-take-it-and/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [Without the utopians of other times, men would still live in caves, miserable and naked;...utopia is the principle of all progress, adn the essay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/without-the-utopians-of-other-times-men-would-still-live-in-caves/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) [Explore all 228 Anatole France quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) ## More Best quotes > [Failures happen. 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When I knew I could work with him I was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ederson/it-s-no-wonder-pep-is-one-of-the-best-coaches-in-the-world-when-i/) [Ederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ederson/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/) [Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/) > [Life is where you love people and use things not use people and love things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/life-is-where-you-love-people-and-use-things-not-use-people-and-love/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [With every product, the delta between the brand and the reality determines its power over the minds of consumers, and with Trump, that delta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/with-every-product-the-delta-between-the-brand-and-the-reality/) [Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/) > [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/) Gene Scott > [I'm looking to fight the best guys in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-rodriguez/i-m-looking-to-fight-the-best-guys-in-the-world/) [Yair Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-rodriguez/) > [Batley and Spen has a high proportion of people working in manufacturing, and we can boast the full range of industries, including high-skilled, precision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-cox/batley-and-spen-has-a-high-proportion-of-people-working-in/) [Jo Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-cox/) > [It is no secret that I have read 'The Da Vinci Code' several times. I genuinely believe that 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/it-is-no-secret-that-i-have-read-the-da-vinci-code-several-times-i/) [Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/) > [Any position I was going to be in, I was going to make the best of it. I always do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/any-position-i-was-going-to-be-in-i-was-going-to-make-the-best-of-it/) [Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/) Browse all 21,674 Best quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The best sentence? 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