--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Imitation is the sincerest form of…" description: "\"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d0/oscar-wilde-16_flattery_imitation-is-the-sincerest-form-of-flatt_2155715.jpg" --- # Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that… ![“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d0/oscar-wilde-16_flattery_imitation-is-the-sincerest-form-of-flatt_2155715.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d0/oscar-wilde-16_flattery_imitation-is-the-sincerest-form-of-flatt_2155715.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d0/oscar-wilde-16_flattery_imitation-is-the-sincerest-form-of-flatt_2155715.jpg) > “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Flattery is a shallow imitation, showing mediocrity’s way of honoring greatness. **In simple terms:** Flattery is a weak imitation. Key Takeaway Seek genuine admiration over imitation. Themes imitation flattery mediocrity Mood witty critical Type philosophical satirical When to use this quote - personal relationships - professional networking - artistic influence Key Concepts social psychology literary criticism Questions to Reflect On - Why do we resort to flattery? - How can we give honest praise? A Different Perspective Flattery can be insincere and manipulative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Flattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flattery/) [Form Of Flattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form-of-flattery/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Mediocrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocrity/) ## Related quotes > [Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/imitation-is-the-sincerest-form-of-flattery/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [I believe that love--not imitation--is the sincerest form of flattery. Your imitator thinks that you can be duplicated; your lover knows you can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/i-believe-that-love-not-imitation-is-the-sincerest-form-of-flattery/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [Listening, not imitation, may be the sincerest form of flattery. . . . If you want to influence someone, listen to what he says.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-brothers/listening-not-imitation-may-be-the-sincerest-form-of-flattery-if-you/) [Joyce Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-brothers/) > [“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but theft is a sin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-secret/imitation-is-the-sincerest-form-of-flattery-but-theft-is-a-sin/) Elena Secret > [When Someone Copies What You Do, It Means They Really Admire Yours Or the way You Do Things! So Don't Get Mad... Remember, That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/when-someone-copies-what-you-do-it-means-they-really-admire-yours-or/) Pacifiersucker > [Copying or imitation is the highest form of flattery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tito-sotto/copying-or-imitation-is-the-highest-form-of-flattery/) Tito Sotto > [Imitation is the best form of flattery; people generally understand that my comedy is not intended to hurt anybody. Occasionally, an actor might take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek/imitation-is-the-best-form-of-flattery-people-generally-understand/) [Vivek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek/) > [Imitation isn't the sincerest form of flattery - it's plagiarism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-skelton/imitation-isn-t-the-sincerest-form-of-flattery-it-s-plagiarism/) [Red Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-skelton/) > [Imitation is the surest form of flattery and failure. I am not interested with your talk about my ideas. I am more interested in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/imitation-is-the-surest-form-of-flattery-and-failure-i-am-not/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [Imitation is the most serious form of flattery. It's also standing in a world of shadows. Be unique, be creative, you were born to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammi-post/imitation-is-the-most-serious-form-of-flattery-it-s-also-standing-in/) [Tammi Post](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammi-post/) > [Imitation is obviously a great form of flattery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peyton-manning/imitation-is-obviously-a-great-form-of-flattery/) [Peyton Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peyton-manning/) > [“Imitation is the highest form of flattery. Until it isn't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/em-bailey/imitation-is-the-highest-form-of-flattery-until-it-isn-t/) [Em Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/em-bailey/) > [Imitation is the highest form of flattery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/imitation-is-the-highest-form-of-flattery/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Imitation is the most serious form of flattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/imitation-is-the-most-serious-form-of-flattery/) Proverb > [“imitation really is the most sincere form of flattery. But”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/imitation-really-is-the-most-sincere-form-of-flattery-but/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Flattery quotes > [“Flattery looks like friendship, just like a wolf looks like a dog.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-auliq-ice/flattery-looks-like-friendship-just-like-a-wolf-looks-like-a-dog/) [Oscar Auliq-Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-auliq-ice/) > [“What a situation!' cried Miss Squeers; '...What is the reason that men fall in love with me, whether I like it or not, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/what-a-situation-cried-miss-squeers-what-is-the-reason-that-men-fall/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [By God, I cannot flatter, I do defy The tongues of soothers! but a braver place In my heart's love hath no man than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/by-god-i-cannot-flatter-i-do-defy-the-tongues-of-soothers-but-a/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I'm not drunk, I'm just intoxicated by you. I was so enchanted by your beauty that I ran into that wall over there. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paperboi/i-m-not-drunk-i-m-just-intoxicated-by-you-i-was-so-enchanted-by-your/) Paperboi > [The most skillful flattery is to let a person talk on, and be a listener.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/the-most-skillful-flattery-is-to-let-a-person-talk-on-and-be-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Love of another is merely empty flattery and self-deception for one who cannot accept himself without pretense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/love-of-another-is-merely-empty-flattery-and-self-deception-for-one/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [I have a car that I call Flattery because it gets me nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/i-have-a-car-that-i-call-flattery-because-it-gets-me-nowhere/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) > [Dont get confused between flattery and kindness these are the new kind of deceptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chops/dont-get-confused-between-flattery-and-kindness-these-are-the-new/) [Chops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chops/) > [It is an unquestionable truth, that the body of the people in every country desire sincerely its prosperity. But it is equally unquestionable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/it-is-an-unquestionable-truth-that-the-body-of-the-people-in-every/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [Truth and ceremony are two things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/truth-and-ceremony-are-two-things/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [The best form of flattery is to master the art of listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/the-best-form-of-flattery-is-to-master-the-art-of-listening/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“You are the belle of the ball tonight.” He said as he moved in closer. “How can you be so sinfully beautiful Mrs. Norman?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-gray/you-are-the-belle-of-the-ball-tonight-he-said-as-he-moved-in-closer/) [Barry Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-gray/) > [He who says he hates all kinds of flattery, and says so in earnest, has undoubtedly not as yet become acquainted with all kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/he-who-says-he-hates-all-kinds-of-flattery-and-says-so-in-earnest-has/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [What signifies protesting so against flattery when a person speaks well of one, it must either be true or false, you know if true,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/what-signifies-protesting-so-against-flattery-when-a-person-speaks/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [But it is hard to know them from friends, they are so obsequious and full of protestations; for a wolf resembles a dog, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/but-it-is-hard-to-know-them-from-friends-they-are-so-obsequious-and/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) [Browse all 636 Flattery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flattery/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oscar Wilde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/imitation-is-the-sincerest-form-of-flattery-that-mediocrity-can-pay/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Flattery" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/imitation-is-the-sincerest-form-of-flattery-that-mediocrity-can-pay/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d0/oscar-wilde-16_flattery_imitation-is-the-sincerest-form-of-flatt_2155715.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d0/oscar-wilde-16_flattery_imitation-is-the-sincerest-form-of-flatt_2155715.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d0/oscar-wilde-16_flattery_imitation-is-the-sincerest-form-of-flatt_2155715.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.” — Oscar Wilde", "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": "Oscar Wilde", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Imitation is the sincerest form of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/imitation-is-the-sincerest-form-of-flattery-that-mediocrity-can-pay/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/imitation-is-the-sincerest-form-of-flattery-that-mediocrity-can-pay/#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 } } ] } ```