--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can't settle for merely liking a man…" description: "\"“I can't settle for merely liking a man when I've known what it’s like to love one.”\" — Emily Ann Benedict" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/emily-ann-benedict-69194_emily-ann-benedict_i-can-t-settle-for-merely-liking-a-man-w_1637689.jpg" --- # I can't settle for merely liking a man when I've known… ![“I can't settle for merely liking a man when I've known what it’s like to love one.” quote by Emily Ann Benedict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/emily-ann-benedict-69194_emily-ann-benedict_i-can-t-settle-for-merely-liking-a-man-w_1637689.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/emily-ann-benedict-69194_emily-ann-benedict_i-can-t-settle-for-merely-liking-a-man-w_1637689.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/emily-ann-benedict-69194_emily-ann-benedict_i-can-t-settle-for-merely-liking-a-man-w_1637689.jpg) > ““I can't settle for merely liking a man when I've known what it’s like to love one.”” Emily Ann Benedict ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker refuses to settle for superficial affection when they have experienced deep love. **In simple terms:** Refuse shallow love after deep love. Key Takeaway Seek depth over mere liking. Themes love relationships authenticity Mood thoughtful yearning Type reflective emotional When to use this quote - dating - long‑term partnership - self‑reflection Key Concepts emotional depth commitment Questions to Reflect On - What does true love mean to you? - How can you recognize deep versus shallow affection? A Different Perspective Superficial connections can still be tempting. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perception/) [Vintage-jane-austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vintage-jane-austen/) ## Related quotes > [“Abbey relaxed, grateful not only that someone had thought to throw a party for her, but that she had been able to escape attending.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ann-benedict/abbey-relaxed-grateful-not-only-that-someone-had-thought-to-throw-a/) Emily Ann Benedict > [“You're my guardian angel, Abbey," she said as she climbed into the car. "No, not really, Sam. I'm just a messenger." "But that’s what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ann-benedict/you-re-my-guardian-angel-abbey-she-said-as-she-climbed-into-the-car/) Emily Ann Benedict > [“She was liking this man more and more. She”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-jenkins/she-was-liking-this-man-more-and-more-she/) [Beverly Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-jenkins/) > [Getting people to like you is merely the other side of liking them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/getting-people-to-like-you-is-merely-the-other-side-of-liking-them/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [“At last, the details finally settled, Abbey found herself coming to terms with the inevitable: the whole lot of them would go to Cape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ann-benedict/at-last-the-details-finally-settled-abbey-found-herself-coming-to/) Emily Ann Benedict > [We are obliged to love one another. We are not strictly bound to 'like' one another. Love governs the will: 'liking' is a matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/we-are-obliged-to-love-one-another-we-are-not-strictly-bound-to-like-3/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [There's Thin Line Between liking and loving someone because you like whom you love but whom you love may not always like you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushan-sharma/there-s-thin-line-between-liking-and-loving-someone-because-you-like/) [Sushan Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushan-sharma/) > [“Ed frowned. “Well, it’s a terrible picture of me! Here, give me that. I’m going to tear it up. There ought to be legal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-scheele/ed-frowned-well-it-s-a-terrible-picture-of-me-here-give-me-that-i-m/) [Sarah Scheele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-scheele/) > [“What?! Oh, Ellen, so the rumors are true! She’s married to Everett Shepherd! Why, I could wring his scrawny neck! I knew he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey-bryant/what-oh-ellen-so-the-rumors-are-true-she-s-married-to-everett/) [Kelsey Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey-bryant/) > [“No pressuring them, Aunt Jennie,” Marion admonished with a straight face but laughing eyes. “They don’t like being hurried. They’re likely to baulk like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey-bryant/no-pressuring-them-aunt-jennie-marion-admonished-with-a-straight-face/) [Kelsey Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey-bryant/) > [“If you are ever angry at him, threaten to do something to one of his books, as calling him Fred does nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-holman/if-you-are-ever-angry-at-him-threaten-to-do-something-to-one-of-his/) [Sarah Holman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-holman/) > [“We delude ourselves if we think that decency is not rewarded in other people simply because we refuse to practice it ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-scheele/we-delude-ourselves-if-we-think-that-decency-is-not-rewarded-in-other/) [Sarah Scheele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-scheele/) > [“I don’t know how to ask this,” Everett began. “You and Mr. Bradley…you’re not…” He gestured helplessly with his left hand. “I mean, there’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey-bryant/i-don-t-know-how-to-ask-this-everett-began-you-and-mr-bradley-you-re/) [Kelsey Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey-bryant/) > [“And I’d have you know, through all of it, I still had perfect nails! Because I am completely swell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-scheele/and-i-d-have-you-know-through-all-of-it-i-still-had-perfect-nails/) [Sarah Scheele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-scheele/) > [“The heart is a strange thing," Evelyn said, staring off into space. "It can be broken easily and takes a long time to mend,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-holman/the-heart-is-a-strange-thing-evelyn-said-staring-off-into-space-it/) [Sarah Holman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-holman/) ## More by Emily Ann Benedict > [“At last, the details finally settled, Abbey found herself coming to terms with the inevitable: the whole lot of them would go to Cape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ann-benedict/at-last-the-details-finally-settled-abbey-found-herself-coming-to/) Emily Ann Benedict > [“You're my guardian angel, Abbey," she said as she climbed into the car. "No, not really, Sam. I'm just a messenger." "But that’s what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ann-benedict/you-re-my-guardian-angel-abbey-she-said-as-she-climbed-into-the-car/) Emily Ann Benedict > [“Abbey relaxed, grateful not only that someone had thought to throw a party for her, but that she had been able to escape attending.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ann-benedict/abbey-relaxed-grateful-not-only-that-someone-had-thought-to-throw-a/) Emily Ann Benedict Explore all 4 Emily Ann Benedict quotes ## More Emily-ann-benedict quotes > [“You're my guardian angel, Abbey," she said as she climbed into the car. "No, not really, Sam. I'm just a messenger." "But that’s what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ann-benedict/you-re-my-guardian-angel-abbey-she-said-as-she-climbed-into-the-car/) Emily Ann Benedict > [“Abbey relaxed, grateful not only that someone had thought to throw a party for her, but that she had been able to escape attending.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ann-benedict/abbey-relaxed-grateful-not-only-that-someone-had-thought-to-throw-a/) Emily Ann Benedict Browse all 3 Emily-ann-benedict quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I can't settle for merely liking a man when I've known what it’s like to love one.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emily Ann Benedict" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ann-benedict/i-can-t-settle-for-merely-liking-a-man-when-i-ve-known-what-it-s-like/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Emily-ann-benedict" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ann-benedict/i-can-t-settle-for-merely-liking-a-man-when-i-ve-known-what-it-s-like/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/emily-ann-benedict-69194_emily-ann-benedict_i-can-t-settle-for-merely-liking-a-man-w_1637689.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/emily-ann-benedict-69194_emily-ann-benedict_i-can-t-settle-for-merely-liking-a-man-w_1637689.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/emily-ann-benedict-69194_emily-ann-benedict_i-can-t-settle-for-merely-liking-a-man-w_1637689.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I can't settle for merely liking a man when I've known what it’s like to love one.” — Emily Ann Benedict", "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": "Emily Ann Benedict", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-ann-benedict/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I can't settle for merely liking...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ann-benedict/i-can-t-settle-for-merely-liking-a-man-when-i-ve-known-what-it-s-like/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ann-benedict/i-can-t-settle-for-merely-liking-a-man-when-i-ve-known-what-it-s-like/#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 } } ] } ```