--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sticks and stones may break our bones…" description: "\"Sticks and stones may break our bones, but names will break our spirit.\" — James Howe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9a/james-howe-12263_bones_sticks-and-stones-may-break-our-bones-bu_1110130.jpg" --- # Sticks and stones may break our bones, but names will… ![“Sticks and stones may break our bones, but names will break our spirit.” quote by James Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9a/james-howe-12263_bones_sticks-and-stones-may-break-our-bones-bu_1110130.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9a/james-howe-12263_bones_sticks-and-stones-may-break-our-bones-bu_1110130.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9a/james-howe-12263_bones_sticks-and-stones-may-break-our-bones-bu_1110130.jpg) > “Sticks and stones may break our bones, but names will break our spirit.” [James Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Words can cause deep emotional harm beyond physical injury. **In simple terms:** Names can wound the spirit. Key Takeaway Choose words that uplift. Themes communication emotions psychology Mood reflective cautious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - bullying - online harassment - family conflict - school environment Key Concepts verbal aggression selfesteem Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond when hurtful words are spoken? - Can you repair a damaged spirit? A Different Perspective Physical harm is more visible than emotional damage. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bones/) [Break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break/) [Break Bones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break-bones/) [Break Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break-spirit-289221/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Names Break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names-break-2953131/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Sticks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sticks/) [Sticks and stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sticks-and-stones/) [Sticks Stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sticks-stones/) [Stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stones/) [Stones Break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stones-break/) ## Related quotes > [“Sticks and stones will break your bones, but failure will get you killed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/sticks-and-stones-will-break-your-bones-but-failure-will-get-you/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will make me go in a corner and cry by myself for hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but-words-will-make-me-go-in-a/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [“Sticks and stones can break your bones, but names can kill you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/sticks-and-stones-can-break-your-bones-but-names-can-kill-you/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) > [“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but grenades and air strikes will silence Allah's throne.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mingo-kane/sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but-grenades-and-air-strikes/) [Mingo Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mingo-kane/) > [“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words have the power to destroy me”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-messe/sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but-words-have-the-power-to/) [Ellie Messe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-messe/) > [“Sticks and stones will break your bones, but now words can kill, too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/sticks-and-stones-will-break-your-bones-but-now-words-can-kill-too/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Sticks and stones may break your bones but mean words can tear holes in your spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/sticks-and-stones-may-break-your-bones-but-mean-words-can-tear-holes/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [“Sticks and stones may break your bones, but watch out for those damn words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/sticks-and-stones-may-break-your-bones-but-watch-out-for-those-damn/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Sticks and stones may break my bones but word will never hurt me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but-word-will-never-hurt-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Sticks and stones will break your bones if you ever try to cut me with your words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-parsons/sticks-and-stones-will-break-your-bones-if-you-ever-try-to-cut-me/) [Taylor Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-parsons/) > [Dear you ..sticks and stones may break my bones but they will never break us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-johnson/dear-you-sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but-they-will-never/) [Natalya Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-johnson/) > [“sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will make me cry by myself in a corner for hours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/sticks-and-stones-will-break-my-bones-but-words-will-make-me-cry-by/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [Sticks and stones may break my bones but words are what will kill me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but-words-are-what-will-kill-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [..and only sticks and stones can break my bones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-haddon/and-only-sticks-and-stones-can-break-my-bones/) [Mark Haddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-haddon/) > [Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can do much worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madi/sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but-words-can-do-much-worse/) [Madi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madi/) ## More by James Howe > [“Who do you see when you think of you? Are you an outsider, Cool, distant, angry, swimming against the current, or are you in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/who-do-you-see-when-you-think-of-you-are-you-an-outsider-cool-distant/) [James Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/) > [“The future is a trickster rabbit, full of surprises. Only the past is predictable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/the-future-is-a-trickster-rabbit-full-of-surprises-only-the-past-is/) [James Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/) > [So does being cool mean you get to go around calling other people names?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/so-does-being-cool-mean-you-get-to-go-around-calling-other-people/) [James Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/) > [“I am who I say I am, I'm not some fantasy of how you think you think you know or who I ought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/i-am-who-i-say-i-am-i-m-not-some-fantasy-of-how-you-think-you-think/) [James Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/) > [And that's an even greater love: to love somebody when he's a little...worn at the edges. —Teddy Bear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/and-that-s-an-even-greater-love-to-love-somebody-when-he-s-a-little/) [James Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/) > [Crying can help, too. People are often afraid to cry because they are told that crying is for babies. Crying does not make you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/crying-can-help-too-people-are-often-afraid-to-cry-because-they-are/) [James Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/) > [This business of really knowing people, deep down, including your own self, it is not something you can learn in school or from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/this-business-of-really-knowing-people-deep-down-including-your-own/) [James Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/) > [I hated that the soldier doll had my name. I mean, please. I didn't play with him much. He was another Christmas present from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/i-hated-that-the-soldier-doll-had-my-name-i-mean-please-i-didn-t-play/) [James Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/) > [“At this point, Chester started to bathe his tail, which is a cat's way of changing a subject he finds uncomfortable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/at-this-point-chester-started-to-bathe-his-tail-which-is-a-cat-s-way/) [James Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/) > [“Harold: "It so happens I was discussing great works of literature with Toby." Chester: "Since when is a Twinkies wrapper considered a great work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/harold-it-so-happens-i-was-discussing-great-works-of-literature-with/) [James Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/) > [“Harold (about max): he looks kinda like a football couch Chester (sarcastically): Yay team rah rah. if he says anything athletic i'll scream max:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/harold-about-max-he-looks-kinda-like-a-football-couch-chester/) [James Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/) > [Life is short and there will always be dirty dishes, so let's dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/life-is-short-and-there-will-always-be-dirty-dishes-so-let-s-dance/) [James Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/) > [“This business of really knowing people, deep down, including your own self, it is not something you can learn in school or from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/this-business-of-really-knowing-people-deep-down-including-your-own-2/) [James Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/) > [Sometimes I wish I were a character in a book and there was a writer out there giving me things to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/sometimes-i-wish-i-were-a-character-in-a-book-and-there-was-a-writer/) [James Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/) > [Banning books is just another form of bullying. It's all about fear and an assumption of power. The key is to address the fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/banning-books-is-just-another-form-of-bullying-it-s-all-about-fear/) [James Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/) [Explore all 55 James Howe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/) ## More Bones quotes > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [May nothing entice me till I happily make my way to Jesus Christ! Fire, cross, struggles with wild beasts, wrenching of bones, mangling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-antioch/may-nothing-entice-me-till-i-happily-make-my-way-to-jesus-christ-fire/) [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-antioch/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Surely, God could have caused birds to fly with their bones made of solid gold, with their veins full of quicksilver, with their flesh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/surely-god-could-have-caused-birds-to-fly-with-their-bones-made-of/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [“We are preaching hope, standing on the bones of the past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rucyahana/we-are-preaching-hope-standing-on-the-bones-of-the-past/) [John Rucyahana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rucyahana/) > [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/) > [I separated the joints, the arm joints, the leg joints, and had to do two boilings. I think I used four boxes of Soilex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-dahmer/i-separated-the-joints-the-arm-joints-the-leg-joints-and-had-to-do/) [Jeffrey Dahmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-dahmer/) > [Flesh forgets. Bone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-bass/flesh-forgets-bone-remembers/) [Jefferson Bass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-bass/) > [One of my favorite poets, Neruda, writes close to the bone. Though I know only a little Spanish, I like to compare the Spanish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-diament/one-of-my-favorite-poets-neruda-writes-close-to-the-bone-though-i/) [Anita Diament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-diament/) > [Death and burial were a public spectacle. Shakespeare may have seen for himself the gravediggers at St Ann's, Soho, playing skittles with skulls and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catharine-arnold/death-and-burial-were-a-public-spectacle-shakespeare-may-have-seen/) [Catharine Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catharine-arnold/) > [REVIEW, v.t. To set your wisdom (holding not a doubt of it./ Although in truth there's neither bone nor skin to it)/ At work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/review-v-t-to-set-your-wisdom-holding-not-a-doubt-of-it-although-in/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“All right, you deadly little ghostlings,” I muttered. “Mama says go back to bed! - Cat”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/all-right-you-deadly-little-ghostlings-i-muttered-mama-says-go-back/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [“In December of 2007 human bones including skulls, which have been radiocarbon dated back to between 1304 and 1424, were found in a museum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/in-december-of-2007-human-bones-including-skulls-which-have-been/) [Captain Hank Bracker, "Seawater One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/) > [When I look at the human brain I'm still in awe of it. 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Especially when you’ve got death breathing down your neck.” “Very funny,” I retorted, since Bones was inches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/i-m-in-cat-i-d-never-leave-you-especially-when-you-ve-got-death/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) [Browse all 2,113 Bones quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bones/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sticks and stones may break our bones, but names will break our spirit.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Howe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/sticks-and-stones-may-break-our-bones-but-names-will-break-our-spirit/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bones" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/sticks-and-stones-may-break-our-bones-but-names-will-break-our-spirit/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9a/james-howe-12263_bones_sticks-and-stones-may-break-our-bones-bu_1110130.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9a/james-howe-12263_bones_sticks-and-stones-may-break-our-bones-bu_1110130.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9a/james-howe-12263_bones_sticks-and-stones-may-break-our-bones-bu_1110130.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sticks and stones may break our bones, but names will break our spirit.” — James Howe", "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": "James Howe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Sticks and stones may break our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/sticks-and-stones-may-break-our-bones-but-names-will-break-our-spirit/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/sticks-and-stones-may-break-our-bones-but-names-will-break-our-spirit/#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 } } ] } ```