--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'll tell you this, though. It's not…" description: "\"“I'll tell you this, though. It's not true, that saying about sticks and stones; it's words that break your bones.”\" — Merle Miller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/merle-miller-58490_sticks-and-stones_i-ll-tell-you-this-though-it-s-not-true_2659932.png" --- # I'll tell you this, though. It's not true, that saying… ![“I'll tell you this, though. It's not true, that saying about sticks and stones; it's words that break your bones.” quote by Merle Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/merle-miller-58490_sticks-and-stones_i-ll-tell-you-this-though-it-s-not-true_2659932.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/merle-miller-58490_sticks-and-stones_i-ll-tell-you-this-though-it-s-not-true_2659932.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/merle-miller-58490_sticks-and-stones_i-ll-tell-you-this-though-it-s-not-true_2659932.png) > ““I'll tell you this, though. It's not true, that saying about sticks and stones; it's words that break your bones.”” [Merle Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-miller/) ## 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, often more damaging than physical injury. **In simple terms:** Harsh words hurt more than stones. Key Takeaway Choose kind speech. Themes communication psychology emotional health Mood reflective cautious Type advice warning When to use this quote - bullying - relationships - public speaking - social media - conflict resolution Key Concepts verbal aggression psychological impact Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond when hurtful words are spoken? - What can you do to protect yourself from verbal attacks? A Different Perspective Physical harm is visible, but emotional wounds can be invisible and lasting. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Sticks and stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sticks-and-stones/) [True saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-saying/) ## Related quotes > [“Sticks and stones and fists CAN break your bones, but it's the words that break your heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-sheridan/sticks-and-stones-and-fists-can-break-your-bones-but-it-s-the-words/) [Mia Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-sheridan/) > [Trust the one Who's been where you are wishing all it was Was sticks and stones Those words cut deep but they don't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-hayes/trust-the-one-who-s-been-where-you-are-wishing-all-it-was-was-sticks/) [Hunter Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-hayes/) > [Hard words indeed break no bones, but many a heart has been broken by them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/hard-words-indeed-break-no-bones-but-many-a-heart-has-been-broken-by/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [Words Break No Bones But They Do Break Hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melania/words-break-no-bones-but-they-do-break-hearts/) [Melania](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melania/) > [Sticks and stones will break our bones, but words will break our hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/sticks-and-stones-will-break-our-bones-but-words-will-break-our-hearts/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [“Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will break our hearts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/sticks-and-stones-may-break-our-bones-but-words-will-break-our-hearts/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [“Sticks and stones may break your bones but words can break hearts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/sticks-and-stones-may-break-your-bones-but-words-can-break-hearts/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [“Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will break my soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-lopez/sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but-words-will-break-my-soul/) Kathryn Lopez > [“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 I might be a vampire so I don't give a shit. I'll heal”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gena-showalter/sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but-i-might-be-a-vampire-so-i/) [Gena Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gena-showalter/) > [“Stick and stones may break your bones and words can kill you too”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/stick-and-stones-may-break-your-bones-and-words-can-kill-you-too/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [..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/) > [The world will hit you with sticks and stones, just remember they will never break your bones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-f/the-world-will-hit-you-with-sticks-and-stones-just-remember-they-will/) Sarah F > [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/) > [“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/) ## More by Merle Miller > [Everyone has his burden. What counts is how you carry it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-miller/everyone-has-his-burden-what-counts-is-how-you-carry-it/) [Merle Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-miller/) > [“I have never infected anybody, and it's too late for the head people to do anything about me now. Gay is good. Gay is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-miller/i-have-never-infected-anybody-and-it-s-too-late-for-the-head-people/) [Merle Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-miller/) > [“A young homosexual friend recently said, "It's no secret that you, that one, has such-and-such color hair, is yea high, weighs thus and so,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-miller/a-young-homosexual-friend-recently-said-it-s-no-secret-that-you-that/) [Merle Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-miller/) > [You cannot demand your rights, civil or otherwise, if you are unwilling to say what you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-miller/you-cannot-demand-your-rights-civil-or-otherwise-if-you-are-unwilling/) [Merle Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-miller/) [Explore all 5 Merle Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-miller/) ## More Sticks and stones quotes > [“They call it a “Whippoorwill” because the call it makes sounds exactly like it’s saying “WHIPPOOR-WILLL,” but in a whistle. Oh it doesn’t stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-rohrig/they-call-it-a-whippoorwill-because-the-call-it-makes-sounds-exactly/) [Kyle Rohrig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-rohrig/) > [Colin thought about the dork mantra: sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. What a dirty lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/colin-thought-about-the-dork-mantra-sticks-and-stones-may-break-my/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“What is that old children’s rhyme, ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me’? Anyone who says that doesn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/what-is-that-old-children-s-rhyme-sticks-and-stones-may-break-my/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Trust the one Who's been where you are wishing all it was Was sticks and stones Those words cut deep but they don't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-hayes/trust-the-one-who-s-been-where-you-are-wishing-all-it-was-was-sticks/) [Hunter Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-hayes/) > [“Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will break our hearts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/sticks-and-stones-may-break-our-bones-but-words-will-break-our-hearts/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [My parents said sticks and stones will break your bones but names will never hurt you. But I always felt a sense of exhilaration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/my-parents-said-sticks-and-stones-will-break-your-bones-but-names/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [“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/) > [I'm not the only kid who grew up this way, surrounded by people who used to say that rhyme about sticks and stones, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-koyczan/i-m-not-the-only-kid-who-grew-up-this-way-surrounded-by-people-who/) [Shane Koyczan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-koyczan/) > [I felt bad about myself because certain people were relentlessly attacking me and my reputation. My mom kept saying 'Let it go, Lauren, It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-conrad/i-felt-bad-about-myself-because-certain-people-were-relentlessly/) [Lauren Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-conrad/) > [..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 are hard on bones, Aimed with angry art, Words can sting like anything But silence breaks the heart.’ Phyllis McGinley, "Ballade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilliana-anderson/sticks-and-stones-are-hard-on-bones-aimed-with-angry-art-words-can/) [Lilliana Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilliana-anderson/) > [“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but I might be a vampire so I don't give a shit. I'll heal”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gena-showalter/sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but-i-might-be-a-vampire-so-i/) [Gena Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gena-showalter/) > [“Sticks and stones may break my bones’, as they say in the Middle Worlds, but with the right words you can build a world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-as-they-say-in-the-middle-worlds/) [Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/) > [A liar is one of the nastiest people on the face of the earth. Whoever said sticks and stones may break my bones, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-p/a-liar-is-one-of-the-nastiest-people-on-the-face-of-the-earth-whoever/) Donna P > [Now sticks 'n' stones'll break ya bones, a little tokin' never hurt no one. Let's toke, toke, toke about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/now-sticks-n-stones-ll-break-ya-bones-a-little-tokin-never-hurt-no/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) [Browse all 166 Sticks and stones quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sticks-and-stones/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I'll tell you this, though. 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