--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only way to get the best of an…" description: "\"The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.\" — Dale Carnegie" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/dale-carnegie-382_arguing_the-only-way-to-get-the-best-of-an-argum_748459.jpg" --- # The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it. ![“The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.” quote by Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/dale-carnegie-382_arguing_the-only-way-to-get-the-best-of-an-argum_748459.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/dale-carnegie-382_arguing_the-only-way-to-get-the-best-of-an-argum_748459.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/dale-carnegie-382_arguing_the-only-way-to-get-the-best-of-an-argum_748459.jpg) > “The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.” [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The best way to win an argument is not to engage in it at all. **In simple terms:** Avoid arguments to preserve peace. Key Takeaway Choose peace over conflict. Themes communication conflict peace Mood wise peaceful Type self-help philosophical When to use this quote - negotiations - family disputes - workplace meetings Key Concepts strategic silence emotional intelligence self‑control Questions to Reflect On - When is it essential to argue? - How can you defuse tension? A Different Perspective Some issues require standing up. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Logic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/logic/) ## Related quotes > [“I have come to the conclusion that there is only one way under high heaven to get the best of an argument— and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/i-have-come-to-the-conclusion-that-there-is-only-one-way-under-high/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [“there is only one way under high heaven to get the best of an argument - and that is to avoid it .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/there-is-only-one-way-under-high-heaven-to-get-the-best-of-an/) [Dale carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [The best argument is that which seems merely an explanation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/the-best-argument-is-that-which-seems-merely-an-explanation/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [“WIN PEOPLE TO YOUR WAY OF THINKING PRINCIPLE 1 The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it. PRINCIPLE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/win-people-to-your-way-of-thinking-principle-1-the-only-way-to-get/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [“PRINCIPLE 1 The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it. PRINCIPLE 2 Show respect for the other person’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/principle-1-the-only-way-to-get-the-best-of-an-argument-is-to-avoid/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [“To YoYo Ma: "You playing is the best argument I've ever heard for the existence of God, because I don't really believe a human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/to-yoyo-ma-you-playing-is-the-best-argument-i-ve-ever-heard-for-the/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [There is only one way to defeat the enemy, and that is to write as well as one can. The best argument is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/there-is-only-one-way-to-defeat-the-enemy-and-that-is-to-write-as/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [-Do not condemn people, instead try to understand them - Try honestly to see things from other people's point of view - The only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jewels/do-not-condemn-people-instead-try-to-understand-them-try-honestly-to/) [Jewels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jewels/) > [The best way to win an argument is to avoid the person!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/the-best-way-to-win-an-argument-is-to-avoid-the-person/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [Mostly, we argued about who which of us was better at arguing, and particularly about who had won the previous argument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/mostly-we-argued-about-who-which-of-us-was-better-at-arguing-and/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [Rational argument can be defeated by refusing to argue rationally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/rational-argument-can-be-defeated-by-refusing-to-argue-rationally/) [Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/) > [ But the best argument of all \[for evangelism\] is to be found in the wounds of Jesus. You want to honor Him, you desire… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/but-the-best-argument-of-all-for-evangelism-is-to-be-found-in-the/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Never argue at the dinner table, for the one who is not hungry always gets the best of the argument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/never-argue-at-the-dinner-table-for-the-one-who-is-not-hungry-always/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [“The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-d-king/the-best-argument-against-democracy-is-a-five-minute-conversation/) [Stephen D. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-d-king/) > [“the best argument against a democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-best-argument-against-a-democracy-is-a-five-minute-conversation/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) ## More by Dale Carnegie > [“When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with creatures bristling with prejudice and motivated by pride and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/when-dealing-with-people-remember-you-are-not-dealing-with-creatures/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [I deal with the obvious. I present, reiterate, and glorify the obvious - because the obvious is what people need to be told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/i-deal-with-the-obvious-i-present-reiterate-and-glorify-the-obvious/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [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/) > [“The man who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure-thing boat never gets far from shore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/the-man-who-goes-farthest-is-generally-the-one-who-is-willing-to-do/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [“Apply the blacksmith's homely principle when you are speaking. If you feel deeply about your subject you will be able to think of little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/apply-the-blacksmith-s-homely-principle-when-you-are-speaking-if-you/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/one-of-the-most-tragic-things-i-know-about-human-nature-is-that-all/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [If you can't sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there worrying. It's the worry that gets you, not the lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/if-you-can-t-sleep-then-get-up-and-do-something-instead-of-lying/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [I realize now that people are not thinking about you and me or caring what is said about us. They are thinking about themselves-before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/i-realize-now-that-people-are-not-thinking-about-you-and-me-or-caring/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [Those convinced against their will are of the same opinion still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/those-convinced-against-their-will-are-of-the-same-opinion-still/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [Each nation feels superior to other nations. That breeds patriotism - and wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/each-nation-feels-superior-to-other-nations-that-breeds-patriotism/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [We are gods in the chrysalis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/we-are-gods-in-the-chrysalis/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [If you want to know how to make people shun you and laugh at you behind your back and even despise you, here is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/if-you-want-to-know-how-to-make-people-shun-you-and-laugh-at-you/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [So if you aspire to be a good conversationali st, be an attentive listener. To be interesting, be interested. Ask questions that other persons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/so-if-you-aspire-to-be-a-good-conversationali-st-be-an-attentive/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [...Be grateful for what you have to be thankful for instead of complaining about the little things that annoy you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/be-grateful-for-what-you-have-to-be-thankful-for-instead-of/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [Don't be afraid of enemies who attack you. Be afraid of the friends who flatter you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/don-t-be-afraid-of-enemies-who-attack-you-be-afraid-of-the-friends/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) [Explore all 592 Dale Carnegie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) ## More Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dale Carnegie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/the-only-way-to-get-the-best-of-an-argument-is-to-avoid-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arguing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/the-only-way-to-get-the-best-of-an-argument-is-to-avoid-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/dale-carnegie-382_arguing_the-only-way-to-get-the-best-of-an-argum_748459.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/dale-carnegie-382_arguing_the-only-way-to-get-the-best-of-an-argum_748459.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/dale-carnegie-382_arguing_the-only-way-to-get-the-best-of-an-argum_748459.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.” — Dale Carnegie", "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": "Dale Carnegie", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The only way to get the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/the-only-way-to-get-the-best-of-an-argument-is-to-avoid-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/the-only-way-to-get-the-best-of-an-argument-is-to-avoid-it/#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 } } ] } ```