--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To keep is more important than to make…" description: "\"To keep is more important than to make friends.\" — Baltasar Gracian" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/baltasar-gracian-1090_friend_to-keep-is-more-important-than-to-make-f_830537.jpg" --- # To keep is more important than to make friends. ![“To keep is more important than to make friends.” quote by Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/baltasar-gracian-1090_friend_to-keep-is-more-important-than-to-make-f_830537.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/baltasar-gracian-1090_friend_to-keep-is-more-important-than-to-make-f_830537.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/baltasar-gracian-1090_friend_to-keep-is-more-important-than-to-make-f_830537.jpg) > “To keep is more important than to make friends.” [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Preserving relationships matters more than forming new ones. **In simple terms:** Keeping friends is more valuable than making them. Key Takeaway Value existing bonds. Themes relationships loyalty priorities Mood thoughtful pragmatic Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - friendship maintenance - networking - team building Key Concepts social capital trust Questions to Reflect On - When should you prioritize new friendships? - How do you balance old and new relationships? A Different Perspective New connections can also be valuable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-make/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Make Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-friends-284705/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-friends/) ## Related quotes > [A big part of why I wanted to go to college is to meet people and make friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-cosgrove/a-big-part-of-why-i-wanted-to-go-to-college-is-to-meet-people-and/) [Miranda Cosgrove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-cosgrove/) > [I'm not trying to make friends, I'm just trying to make money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-o-leary/i-m-not-trying-to-make-friends-i-m-just-trying-to-make-money/) [Kevin O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-o-leary/) > [“I had always thought that I was fine with being alone. Halfway through high school, I moved from Brazil to America, and it took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-richards/i-had-always-thought-that-i-was-fine-with-being-alone-halfway-through/) [J.M. Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-richards/) > [Being a nerd, which is to say going too far and caring too much about a subject, is the best way to make friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-vowell/being-a-nerd-which-is-to-say-going-too-far-and-caring-too-much-about-2/) [Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-vowell/) > [People will come in and out of your life, but cherish those precious moments with your real friends that will stick by your side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-will-come-in-and-out-of-your-life-but-cherish-those-precious/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Not real friends at all](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/not-real-friends-at-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Real friends r hard to find. Fake friends are all behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alee-n-riyah/real-friends-r-hard-to-find-fake-friends-are-all-behind/) [Alee N Riyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alee-n-riyah/) > [Real Friends' are someone who are right next to you when you got in emergency, not in only parties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroko-sakai/real-friends-are-someone-who-are-right-next-to-you-when-you-got-in/) [Hiroko Sakai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroko-sakai/) > [There are friendships merely for pleasure, some for the exchange of ideas. Rarest are those friends of one's inmost self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/there-are-friendships-merely-for-pleasure-some-for-the-exchange-of/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [I make friends with people really easily - that's one of my best qualities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-faustino/i-make-friends-with-people-really-easily-that-s-one-of-my-best/) [David Faustino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-faustino/) > [Neither old people nor sour people seem to make friends easily; for there is little that is pleasant in them...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/neither-old-people-nor-sour-people-seem-to-make-friends-easily-for/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [When you make friends with fear, it can’t rule you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/when-you-make-friends-with-fear-it-can-t-rule-you/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [You can make more friends in two months by becoming more interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/you-can-make-more-friends-in-two-months-by-becoming-more-interested/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [For any actor, it's very important to make your co-star comfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-patel/for-any-actor-it-s-very-important-to-make-your-co-star-comfortable/) [Karan Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-patel/) > [It's important to make your social life and your friends and family - make that a priority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-barks/it-s-important-to-make-your-social-life-and-your-friends-and-family/) [Samantha Barks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-barks/) ## More by Baltasar Gracian > [To be at ease is better than to be at business. Nothing really belongs to us but time, which even he has who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/to-be-at-ease-is-better-than-to-be-at-business-nothing-really-belongs/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [It requires as much to tell the truth as to conceal it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/it-requires-as-much-to-tell-the-truth-as-to-conceal-it/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [There are friendships merely for pleasure, some for the exchange of ideas. Rarest are those friends of one's inmost self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/there-are-friendships-merely-for-pleasure-some-for-the-exchange-of/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [What is not seen is as if it was not. Even the Right does not receive proper consideration if it does not seem right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/what-is-not-seen-is-as-if-it-was-not-even-the-right-does-not-receive/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [What the multitude says, is so, or soon will be so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/what-the-multitude-says-is-so-or-soon-will-be-so/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [A synonym is a word you use when you can't spell the other one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/a-synonym-is-a-word-you-use-when-you-can-t-spell-the-other-one/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [It is good to vary in order that you may frustrate the curious, especially those who envy you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/it-is-good-to-vary-in-order-that-you-may-frustrate-the-curious/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [Hope has a good memory, gratitude a bad one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/hope-has-a-good-memory-gratitude-a-bad-one/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [Knowing how to keep a friend is more important than gaining a new one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/knowing-how-to-keep-a-friend-is-more-important-than-gaining-a-new-one/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [Leave your luck while still winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/leave-your-luck-while-still-winning/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [Superiority is always detested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/superiority-is-always-detested/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [“We have eyelids but not earlids, for the ears are the portals of learning, and Nature wanted to keep them wide open.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/we-have-eyelids-but-not-earlids-for-the-ears-are-the-portals-of/) [Baltasar Gracián](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [The wise persono would rather see others needing him than thanking him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/the-wise-persono-would-rather-see-others-needing-him-than-thanking-him/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [No one demands more caution than a spy, and when someone has the skeleton key to minds, counter him by leaving the key of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/no-one-demands-more-caution-than-a-spy-and-when-someone-has-the/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [Keep the extent of your abilities unknown.The wise man does not allow his knowledge and abilities to be sounded to the bottom, if he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/keep-the-extent-of-your-abilities-unknown-the-wise-man-does-not-allow/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) [Explore all 288 Baltasar Gracian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) ## More Friend quotes > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/) [Unknwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknwon/) > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [“way. A true friend isn't the one that agrees with everything you say or do. A true friend is someone that has your back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shameek-speight/way-a-true-friend-isn-t-the-one-that-agrees-with-everything-you-say/) [Shameek Speight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shameek-speight/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“The real purpose of friendship was to discover and exploit weakness in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-thompson/the-real-purpose-of-friendship-was-to-discover-and-exploit-weakness/) [Brian Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-thompson/) > [That FRIEND who claim they do anything for you. but yet talk behind your back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kushsoulja/that-friend-who-claim-they-do-anything-for-you-but-yet-talk-behind/) [KushSoulja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kushsoulja/) > [In life, we never lose friends we only get to know who the true ones are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ace-kid/in-life-we-never-lose-friends-we-only-get-to-know-who-the-true-ones/) [Ace Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ace-kid/) > [“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/) > [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“When you get lost in a really strange place, nothing is more comforting than found your friend whom you trust and can show the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-get-lost-in-a-really-strange-place-nothing-is-more/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [I fell in love with my best friend, but I know that if it doesn't last, it will never be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-yang/i-fell-in-love-with-my-best-friend-but-i-know-that-if-it-doesn-t-last/) [Shelly Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-yang/) > [A best friend isn't someone who's just always there for you.Its someone who understands you a bit more than you understand yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/a-best-friend-isn-t-someone-who-s-just-always-there-for-you-its/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) [Browse all 14,984 Friend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To keep is more important than to make friends.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Baltasar Gracian" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/to-keep-is-more-important-than-to-make-friends/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Friend" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/to-keep-is-more-important-than-to-make-friends/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/baltasar-gracian-1090_friend_to-keep-is-more-important-than-to-make-f_830537.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/baltasar-gracian-1090_friend_to-keep-is-more-important-than-to-make-f_830537.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/baltasar-gracian-1090_friend_to-keep-is-more-important-than-to-make-f_830537.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To keep is more important than to make friends.” — Baltasar Gracian", "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": "Baltasar Gracian", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To keep is more important than...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/to-keep-is-more-important-than-to-make-friends/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/to-keep-is-more-important-than-to-make-friends/#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 } } ] } ```