--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Marriage is like a vacuum cleaner. You…" description: "\"Marriage is like a vacuum cleaner. You stick it to your ear and it sucks out all your energy and ambition.\" — Marlo Thomas" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aad/marlo-thomas-8603_ambition_marriage-is-like-a-vacuum-cleaner-you-st_98826.jpg" --- # Marriage is like a vacuum cleaner. You stick it to your… ![“Marriage is like a vacuum cleaner. You stick it to your ear and it sucks out all your energy and ambition.” quote by Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aad/marlo-thomas-8603_ambition_marriage-is-like-a-vacuum-cleaner-you-st_98826.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aad/marlo-thomas-8603_ambition_marriage-is-like-a-vacuum-cleaner-you-st_98826.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aad/marlo-thomas-8603_ambition_marriage-is-like-a-vacuum-cleaner-you-st_98826.jpg) > “Marriage is like a vacuum cleaner. You stick it to your ear and it sucks out all your energy and ambition.” [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Marriage can drain personal drive if it becomes a demanding, all‑consuming relationship. **In simple terms:** Relationships may sap ambition. Key Takeaway Balance personal goals with partnership demands. Themes marriage energy drain personal ambition relationship dynamics Mood cynical wry Type humorous relationship When to use this quote - career planning while married - relationship counseling - setting boundaries Key Concepts psychological dependency work‑life balance Practical Applications - establishing shared goals - regular personal time Questions to Reflect On - What habits protect personal ambition in a partnership? - How can couples support each other's growth? A Different Perspective Overgeneralizes marriage; many partnerships energize rather than deplete. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) ## Related quotes > [When I was a kid, my mom used to run the vacuum cleaner, and the noise would bother me so much that I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-burns/when-i-was-a-kid-my-mom-used-to-run-the-vacuum-cleaner-and-the-noise/) [Steve Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-burns/) > [When you don't even get to try, you're like in a vacuum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-stone/when-you-don-t-even-get-to-try-you-re-like-in-a-vacuum/) [Emma Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-stone/) > [“You’ll have more power when you aren’t angry. Anger sucks your energy. It makes you weak and distorts your focus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-valentine-joseph/you-ll-have-more-power-when-you-aren-t-angry-anger-sucks-your-energy/) A Valentine Joseph > [“Sometimes life is like a vacuum cleaner. you know what it does. All you need to do is kick the power plug, take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/sometimes-life-is-like-a-vacuum-cleaner-you-know-what-it-does-all-you/) [Vikrmn: CA Vikram Verma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/) > [Well, I'm rather attracted to rather prosaic things like vacuum cleaners and hand dryers. Where people haven't apparently made them with a great love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dyson/well-i-m-rather-attracted-to-rather-prosaic-things-like-vacuum/) [James Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dyson/) > [Spaghetti can be eaten most successfully if you inhale it like a vacuum cleaner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-loren/spaghetti-can-be-eaten-most-successfully-if-you-inhale-it-like-a/) [Sophia Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-loren/) > [The way we use technology is completely wasteful. We duplicate many vacuum cleaners, tools; In the future we will make the best of equipment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/the-way-we-use-technology-is-completely-wasteful-we-duplicate-many/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [Like some kind of strange vacuum cleaner I tried to console him. I recited the same old litanies that you say to people when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brautigan/like-some-kind-of-strange-vacuum-cleaner-i-tried-to-console-him-i/) [Richard Brautigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brautigan/) > [Shotgunning anybody in this room would be the moral equivalent of killing a car, a Barbie doll, a vacuum cleaner. We're all such products.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/shotgunning-anybody-in-this-room-would-be-the-moral-equivalent-of/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [ A \[news\] magazine printed a \[photo-illustration\] of me in a ball gown holding a vacuum cleaner, saying I started a company. Last time I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reese-witherspoon/a-news-magazine-printed-a-photo-illustration-of-me-in-a-ball-gown/) [Reese Witherspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reese-witherspoon/) > [My dog does have his failings, of course. He's afraid of firecrackers and hides in the clothes closet whenever we run the vacuum cleaner,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-a-kowalski/my-dog-does-have-his-failings-of-course-he-s-afraid-of-firecrackers/) [Gary A. Kowalski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-a-kowalski/) > [I like stuff designed by dead people. The old designers. They always got it right because they didn't have to grow up with computers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/i-like-stuff-designed-by-dead-people-the-old-designers-they-always/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [We're beginning to play God and get into cloning. We give up quickly. Divorce is an easy option. So why not just create your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-kravitz/we-re-beginning-to-play-god-and-get-into-cloning-we-give-up-quickly/) [Lenny Kravitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-kravitz/) > [We don't need women. There are plenty other things in the world to have sex with, just go to a sexaholics meeting and take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/we-don-t-need-women-there-are-plenty-other-things-in-the-world-to/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [I am Woman, here me roar...of is that my vacuum cleaner?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carpenter/i-am-woman-here-me-roar-of-is-that-my-vacuum-cleaner/) [Liz Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carpenter/) ## More by Marlo Thomas > [I know George Burns was a very happy man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/i-know-george-burns-was-a-very-happy-man/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [“Steady as she goes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/steady-as-she-goes/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [What I love about the theater is the work ethic. I grew up with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/what-i-love-about-the-theater-is-the-work-ethic-i-grew-up-with-it/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [I realize now that I was a feminist and the minute I heard the word I certainly knew it meant me, but at that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/i-realize-now-that-i-was-a-feminist-and-the-minute-i-heard-the-word-i/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [Living with these teenage boys allowed me to see how much their psyches were like their girl counterparts. They were more familiar to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/living-with-these-teenage-boys-allowed-me-to-see-how-much-their/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [I find that balancing my life with my work with the kids at St. Jude, working on books, working on my career as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/i-find-that-balancing-my-life-with-my-work-with-the-kids-at-st-jude/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [I wish someone would have told me that, just because I'm a girl, I don't have to get married.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/i-wish-someone-would-have-told-me-that-just-because-i-m-a-girl-i-don/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [Laughter is important, not only because it makes us happy, it also has actual health benefits. And that's because laughter completely engages the body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/laughter-is-important-not-only-because-it-makes-us-happy-it-also-has/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [It's fascinating for us women to begin looking at our lives in five-year plans. It really does help you keep on track. If that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/it-s-fascinating-for-us-women-to-begin-looking-at-our-lives-in-five/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [The Golden Girls certainly proved that there was a large audience for a show about older women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/the-golden-girls-certainly-proved-that-there-was-a-large-audience-for/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [There's no doubt about it... I was born a feminist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/there-s-no-doubt-about-it-i-was-born-a-feminist/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [One woman is a pest and two women is a team, but three women or more is a coalition. If you can bring a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/one-woman-is-a-pest-and-two-women-is-a-team-but-three-women-or-more/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [Never face facts; if you do, you'll never get up in the morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/never-face-facts-if-you-do-you-ll-never-get-up-in-the-morning/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [What I'm loving about Hilary Clinton is that she has the job that's been held mostly by men. She's made it her job, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/what-i-m-loving-about-hilary-clinton-is-that-she-has-the-job-that-s/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [I think that there's got to be a comic gene in some way, but it's so much about it is how you grow up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/i-think-that-there-s-got-to-be-a-comic-gene-in-some-way-but-it-s-so/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) [Explore all 79 Marlo Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) ## More Ambition quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Marriage is like a vacuum cleaner. You stick it to your ear and it sucks out all your energy and ambition.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marlo Thomas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/marriage-is-like-a-vacuum-cleaner-you-stick-it-to-your-ear-and-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/marriage-is-like-a-vacuum-cleaner-you-stick-it-to-your-ear-and-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aad/marlo-thomas-8603_ambition_marriage-is-like-a-vacuum-cleaner-you-st_98826.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aad/marlo-thomas-8603_ambition_marriage-is-like-a-vacuum-cleaner-you-st_98826.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aad/marlo-thomas-8603_ambition_marriage-is-like-a-vacuum-cleaner-you-st_98826.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Marriage is like a vacuum cleaner. You stick it to your ear and it sucks out all your energy and ambition.” — Marlo Thomas", "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": "Marlo Thomas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Marriage is like a vacuum cleaner....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/marriage-is-like-a-vacuum-cleaner-you-stick-it-to-your-ear-and-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/marriage-is-like-a-vacuum-cleaner-you-stick-it-to-your-ear-and-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 } } ] } ```