--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Confidence in conversation has a greater…" description: "\"Confidence in conversation has a greater share than wit.\" — Francois de La Rochefoucauld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb8/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_communication_confidence-in-conversation-has-a-greater_2091111.png" --- # Confidence in conversation has a greater share than wit. ![“Confidence in conversation has a greater share than wit.” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb8/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_communication_confidence-in-conversation-has-a-greater_2091111.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb8/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_communication_confidence-in-conversation-has-a-greater_2091111.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb8/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_communication_confidence-in-conversation-has-a-greater_2091111.png) > “Confidence in conversation has a greater share than wit.” [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being genuine in conversation matters more than cleverness; authenticity builds trust. wit. **In simple terms:** Authenticity outweighs wit in dialogue. Key Takeaway Prioritize sincerity over clever remarks. Themes communication authenticity wit trust Mood thoughtful balanced Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - team meetings - friendship talks - public speaking - negotiations Key Concepts philosophy social dynamics interpersonal skills Questions to Reflect On - When is wit more appropriate than sincerity? - How can you balance honesty with humor? A Different Perspective Wit can still be valuable in certain contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Confidence Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence-conversation-4133788/) [Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation/) [Conversation Greater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation-greater-4133787/) [Greater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greater/) [Share](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/share/) [Share Wit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/share-wit-4054865/) [Wit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wit/) ## Related quotes > [Wit is so shining a quality that everybody admires it; most people aim at it, all people fear it, and few love it unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wit-is-so-shining-a-quality-that-everybody-admires-it-most-people-aim/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A man must have a good share of wit himself to endure a great share in another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/a-man-must-have-a-good-share-of-wit-himself-to-endure-a-great-share/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [The desire which urges us to deserve praise strengthens our good qualities, and praise given to wit, valour, and beauty, tends to increase them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-desire-which-urges-us-to-deserve-praise-strengthens-our-good/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Being a blockhead is sometimes the best security against being cheated by a man of wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/being-a-blockhead-is-sometimes-the-best-security-against-being/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [A man's wits are better employed in bearing up under the misfortunes that lie upon him at present than in foreseeing those that may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/a-man-s-wits-are-better-employed-in-bearing-up-under-the-misfortunes/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Wit sometimes enables us to act rudely with impunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/wit-sometimes-enables-us-to-act-rudely-with-impunity/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Repartee is perfect when it effects its purpose with a double edge. It is the highest order of wit, as it indicates the coolest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/repartee-is-perfect-when-it-effects-its-purpose-with-a-double-edge-it/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [One thing which makes us find so few people who appear reasonable and agreeable in conversation is, that there is scarcely any one who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/one-thing-which-makes-us-find-so-few-people-who-appear-reasonable-and/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [A favorite strategy was the paragraph-terminating: Right? Followed immediately by Wrong. This linear invitation to a mugging was considered a strategy of wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renata-adler/a-favorite-strategy-was-the-paragraph-terminating-right-followed/) [Renata Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renata-adler/) > [The greatest advantage I know of being thought a wit by the world is, that it gives one the greater freedom of playing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/the-greatest-advantage-i-know-of-being-thought-a-wit-by-the-world-is/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Life is a battle of wits, and many people have to fight it unarmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/life-is-a-battle-of-wits-and-many-people-have-to-fight-it-unarmed/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [We do not claim that punning is legitimate wit. Wit consists in combination of ideas, punning in combination of words only. We wonder at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-hosmer/we-do-not-claim-that-punning-is-legitimate-wit-wit-consists-in/) [Harriet Hosmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-hosmer/) > [If you strike upon a thought that baffles you, break off from that entanglement and try another, so shall your wits be fresh to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/if-you-strike-upon-a-thought-that-baffles-you-break-off-from-that/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) ## More by Francois de La Rochefoucauld > [Our own distrust gives a fair pretence for the knavery of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-own-distrust-gives-a-fair-pretence-for-the-knavery-of-other-people/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Behind many acts that are thought ridiculous there lie wise and weighty motives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/behind-many-acts-that-are-thought-ridiculous-there-lie-wise-and/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“Passion often makes a madman of the cleverest man, and renders the greatest fools clever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/passion-often-makes-a-madman-of-the-cleverest-man-and-renders-the/) [François de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Perseverance is neither praiseworthy nor blameworthy; for it seems to be only the enduring of certain inclinations and opinions which men neither give themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/perseverance-is-neither-praiseworthy-nor-blameworthy-for-it-seems-to/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [A woman is faithful to her first lover for a long time - unless she happens to take a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/a-woman-is-faithful-to-her-first-lover-for-a-long-time-unless-she/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We are almost always wearied in the company of persons with whom we are not permitted to be weary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-are-almost-always-wearied-in-the-company-of-persons-with-whom-we/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The love of new acquaintance comes not so much from being weary of what we had before, or from any satisfaction there is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-love-of-new-acquaintance-comes-not-so-much-from-being-weary-of/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [It is sometimes necessary to play the fool to avoid being deceived by cunning men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-sometimes-necessary-to-play-the-fool-to-avoid-being-deceived-by/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The intention of never deceiving often exposes us to deception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-intention-of-never-deceiving-often-exposes-us-to-deception/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Jealousy springs more from love of self than from love of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-springs-more-from-love-of-self-than-from-love-of-another/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Our distrust of another justifies his deceit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-distrust-of-another-justifies-his-deceit/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/no-persons-are-more-frequently-wrong-than-those-who-will-not-admit/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Jealousy is always born with love, but does not die with it. In jealousy there is more of self-love than of love to another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-is-always-born-with-love-but-does-not-die-with-it-in/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The greatest of all gifts is the power to estimate things at their true worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-greatest-of-all-gifts-is-the-power-to-estimate-things-at-their/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We have not strength enough to follow our reason so far as it would carry us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-have-not-strength-enough-to-follow-our-reason-so-far-as-it-would/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) [Explore all 1,134 Francois de La Rochefoucauld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## More Communication quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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