--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A thing may be incredible and still be…" description: "\"A thing may be incredible and still be true; sometimes it is incredible because it is true.\" — Herman Melville" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/herman-melville-162_being-true_a-thing-may-be-incredible-and-still-be-t_945618.jpg" --- # A thing may be incredible and still be true; sometimes it… ![“A thing may be incredible and still be true; sometimes it is incredible because it is true.” quote by Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/herman-melville-162_being-true_a-thing-may-be-incredible-and-still-be-t_945618.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/herman-melville-162_being-true_a-thing-may-be-incredible-and-still-be-t_945618.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/herman-melville-162_being-true_a-thing-may-be-incredible-and-still-be-t_945618.jpg) > “A thing may be incredible and still be true; sometimes it is incredible because it is true.” [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Extraordinary claims can be factual; truth may be astonishing. **In simple terms:** Truth can be amazing. Key Takeaway Accept surprising facts. Themes truth surprise belief Mood thoughtful skeptical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - scientific discovery - historical events - personal revelations Key Concepts paradox cognitive dissonance Questions to Reflect On - Why do we doubt amazing truths? - How to verify surprising facts? A Different Perspective Extraordinary claims need evidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-true/) [Incredible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incredible/) [Incredible True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incredible-true-1648348/) [Incredibles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incredibles/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Thing Incredible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-incredible-1648349/) [True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true/) [True Incredible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-incredible-1648350/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [The thing that is incredible is life itself. Why should we be here in this sun-illuminated universe? Why should there be green earth under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-markham/the-thing-that-is-incredible-is-life-itself-why-should-we-be-here-in/) [Edwin Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-markham/) > [A thing is incredible, if ever, only after it is told -- returned to the world it came out of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eudora-welty/a-thing-is-incredible-if-ever-only-after-it-is-told-returned-to-the/) [Eudora Welty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eudora-welty/) > [I'm not a pioneer of hip-hop; I just saw it and said, 'This thing is incredible, and these people are incredible. They should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-iovine/i-m-not-a-pioneer-of-hip-hop-i-just-saw-it-and-said-this-thing-is/) [Jimmy Iovine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-iovine/) > [The thing that is incredible is life itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-markham/the-thing-that-is-incredible-is-life-itself/) [Edwin Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-markham/) > [I love what I do and I am surrounded by some incredible people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-hudgens/i-love-what-i-do-and-i-am-surrounded-by-some-incredible-people/) [Vanessa Hudgens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-hudgens/) > [That's what's so cool about 'Once:' There is a layer of darker stuff, but it's balanced by this incredible light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristin-milioti/that-s-what-s-so-cool-about-once-there-is-a-layer-of-darker-stuff-but/) [Cristin Milioti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristin-milioti/) > [I have worked with some incredible talent, and loved every minute of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-stuck/i-have-worked-with-some-incredible-talent-and-loved-every-minute-of-it/) [Olivia Stuck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-stuck/) > [Israel has incredible entrepreneurial spirit and a deep bench of technology talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roelof-botha/israel-has-incredible-entrepreneurial-spirit-and-a-deep-bench-of/) [Roelof Botha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roelof-botha/) > [It was almost as incredible as if you fired a 15-inch shell at a piece of tissue paper and it came back to hit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-rutherford/it-was-almost-as-incredible-as-if-you-fired-a-15-inch-shell-at-a/) [Ernest Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-rutherford/) > [You can wake me up now - these last four weeks in America have been incredible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-clijsters/you-can-wake-me-up-now-these-last-four-weeks-in-america-have-been/) [Kim Clijsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-clijsters/) > [If you care at all,you'll get some results. If you care enough, you'll get incredible results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-simmons/if-you-care-at-all-you-ll-get-some-results-if-you-care-enough-you-ll/) [Edward Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-simmons/) > [I think Ewen Bremner is incredible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-sexton-iii/i-think-ewen-bremner-is-incredible/) [Brendan Sexton III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-sexton-iii/) > [I have nothing but praise for the boy. He is easily the best player in the world. His contribution as a goal threat is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-ferguson/i-have-nothing-but-praise-for-the-boy-he-is-easily-the-best-player-in/) [Alex Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-ferguson/) > [Dating someone on the opposite end of the happy spectrum teaches you an incredible amount of patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pine/dating-someone-on-the-opposite-end-of-the-happy-spectrum-teaches-you/) [Chris Pine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pine/) > [What an incredible drug fear is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/what-an-incredible-drug-fear-is/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) ## More by Herman Melville > [“and man, though idiotic, and knowing not what he does, yet full of the sweet things of love and gratitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/and-man-though-idiotic-and-knowing-not-what-he-does-yet-full-of-the/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“But were the coming narrative to reveal in any instance, the complete abasement of poor Starbuck's fortitude, scarce might I have the heart to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/but-were-the-coming-narrative-to-reveal-in-any-instance-the-complete/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“(On Ralph Waldo Emerson)I love all men who dive. Any fish can swim near the surface, but it takes a great whale to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/on-ralph-waldo-emerson-i-love-all-men-who-dive-any-fish-can-swim-near/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“So seemed it to me, as I stood at her helm, and for long hours silently guided the way of this fire-ship on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/so-seemed-it-to-me-as-i-stood-at-her-helm-and-for-long-hours-silently/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“the only real owner of anything is its commander;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/the-only-real-owner-of-anything-is-its-commander/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“Consider the subtleness of the sea; how its most dreaded creatures glide under water, unapparent for the most part, and treacherously hidden beneath the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/consider-the-subtleness-of-the-sea-how-its-most-dreaded-creatures/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“Is it that by its indefiniteness it shadows forth the heartless voids and immensities of the universe, and thus stabs us from behind with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/is-it-that-by-its-indefiniteness-it-shadows-forth-the-heartless-voids/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“Now, as I before hinted, I have no objection to any person's religion, be it what it may, so long as that person does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/now-as-i-before-hinted-i-have-no-objection-to-any-person-s-religion/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Let America first praise mediocrity even, in her children, before she praises... the best excellence in the children of any other land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/let-america-first-praise-mediocrity-even-in-her-children-before-she/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Only the man who says no is free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/only-the-man-who-says-no-is-free/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Beneath those stars is a universe of gliding monsters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/beneath-those-stars-is-a-universe-of-gliding-monsters/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“Yet this is life. For hardly have we mortals by long toilings extracted from this world's vast bulk its small but valuable sperm; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/yet-this-is-life-for-hardly-have-we-mortals-by-long-toilings/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [I never fancied broiling fowls; - though once broiled, judiciously buttered, and judgmatically salted and peppered, there is no one who will speak more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/i-never-fancied-broiling-fowls-though-once-broiled-judiciously/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [War should be carried on like a monsoon; one changeless determination of every particle towards the one unalterable aim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/war-should-be-carried-on-like-a-monsoon-one-changeless-determination/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Genius is full of trash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/genius-is-full-of-trash/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) [Explore all 1,009 Herman Melville quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) ## More Being true quotes > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? My teenage boys got a kick out of it: 'Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/some-article-called-me-the-most-feared-man-in-silicon-valley-good/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Intuitionists think that there are cases in which, say, some identity statement between real numbers is neither true nor false, even though we know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-f-heck/intuitionists-think-that-there-are-cases-in-which-say-some-identity/) [Richard F. Heck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-f-heck/) > [Don't be pretentious is my first advice to young writers. This is the big problem - just because you're getting an MFA doesn't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/don-t-be-pretentious-is-my-first-advice-to-young-writers-this-is-the/) [Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/) > [There is no normal. I've never met a normal person. The concept is flawed. It implies that there is only one way people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/there-is-no-normal-i-ve-never-met-a-normal-person-the-concept-is/) [Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/) > [I learned a tremendous amount about what was important to me as a head coach in that I was not in charge. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-carroll/i-learned-a-tremendous-amount-about-what-was-important-to-me-as-a/) [Pete Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-carroll/) > [Life is all about being true to yourself and what you believe in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-biersack/life-is-all-about-being-true-to-yourself-and-what-you-believe-in/) [Andy Biersack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-biersack/) > [I have spent most of my life unlearning things that were proved not to be true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/i-have-spent-most-of-my-life-unlearning-things-that-were-proved-not/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [It seemed too good to be true. That's grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/it-seemed-too-good-to-be-true-that-s-grace/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) > [You create the happiness and the balance that you have, and your own power. This is one thing that I know to be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/you-create-the-happiness-and-the-balance-that-you-have-and-your-own/) [Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/) > [Being true to yourself means living in truth with each person in your life. It means refusing to say or do something that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/being-true-to-yourself-means-living-in-truth-with-each-person-in-your/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [History is nothing but gossip about the past, with the hope that it might be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/history-is-nothing-but-gossip-about-the-past-with-the-hope-that-it/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [It is not the responsibility of the enlightened teacher to bring the student to enlightenment. That may be true in the classroom, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/it-is-not-the-responsibility-of-the-enlightened-teacher-to-bring-the/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) [Browse all 1,447 Being true quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-true/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A thing may be incredible and still be true; sometimes it is incredible because it is true.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Herman Melville" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/a-thing-may-be-incredible-and-still-be-true-sometimes-it-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being true" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/a-thing-may-be-incredible-and-still-be-true-sometimes-it-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/herman-melville-162_being-true_a-thing-may-be-incredible-and-still-be-t_945618.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/herman-melville-162_being-true_a-thing-may-be-incredible-and-still-be-t_945618.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/herman-melville-162_being-true_a-thing-may-be-incredible-and-still-be-t_945618.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A thing may be incredible and still be true; sometimes it is incredible because it is true.” — Herman Melville", "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": "Herman Melville", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A thing may be incredible and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/a-thing-may-be-incredible-and-still-be-true-sometimes-it-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/a-thing-may-be-incredible-and-still-be-true-sometimes-it-is/#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 } } ] } ```