--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only thing worse than quoting me, is…" description: "\"The only thing worse than quoting me, is not quoting me\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a81/oscar-wilde-16_quoting_the-only-thing-worse-than-quoting-me-is_2918396.jpg" --- # The only thing worse than quoting me, is not quoting me ![“The only thing worse than quoting me, is not quoting me” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a81/oscar-wilde-16_quoting_the-only-thing-worse-than-quoting-me-is_2918396.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a81/oscar-wilde-16_quoting_the-only-thing-worse-than-quoting-me-is_2918396.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a81/oscar-wilde-16_quoting_the-only-thing-worse-than-quoting-me-is_2918396.jpg) > “The only thing worse than quoting me, is not quoting me” [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. Quoting others without credit diminishes both the original and the speaker; authenticity matters. **In simple terms:** Not quoting me is worse than quoting me. Key Takeaway Give proper credit to original sources. Themes integrity authenticity communication literature humor Mood thoughtful witty Type philosophical humorous When to use this quote - academic writing - public speaking - media commentary Key Concepts intellectual honesty citation ethics self-awareness Questions to Reflect On - Why is attribution important in your field? - How does credit affect trust? A Different Perspective In some contexts, paraphrasing may be acceptable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Quoting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quoting/) [Quoting Quoting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quoting-quoting-4240450/) [Thing Worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-worse/) [Worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worse/) [Worse Quoting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worse-quoting-4240449/) ## Related quotes > [The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-only-thing-worse-than-being-talked-about-is-not-being-talked-about/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“The only thing worse than writing is not writing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buffy-cram/the-only-thing-worse-than-writing-is-not-writing/) [Buffy Cram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buffy-cram/) > [There's one thing worse than change and that's the status quo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/there-s-one-thing-worse-than-change-and-that-s-the-status-quo/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [The only thing worse than being in the Hall of Fame is not being in the Hall of Fame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/the-only-thing-worse-than-being-in-the-hall-of-fame-is-not-being-in/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [“The only thing that's worse than people who say "I am what I am" is people who say "I yam what I yam" while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-leve/the-only-thing-that-s-worse-than-people-who-say-i-am-what-i-am-is/) [Ariel Leve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-leve/) > [“If there’s one thing worse than not HAVING a job… It’s LOOKING for one!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-stuart/if-there-s-one-thing-worse-than-not-having-a-job-it-s-looking-for-one/) [Laurence Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-stuart/) > [“There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/there-is-only-one-thing-in-the-world-worse-than-being-talked-about/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Just one thing worse than the dark, ain't there? And that's what's inside it - the things that call it home ...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-delaney/just-one-thing-worse-than-the-dark-ain-t-there-and-that-s-what-s/) [Joseph Delaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-delaney/) > [Now if there is one thing that we do worse than any other nation, it is try and manage somebody else's affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/now-if-there-is-one-thing-that-we-do-worse-than-any-other-nation-it/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [“The only thing worse than a perilous adventure is a boring one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/the-only-thing-worse-than-a-perilous-adventure-is-a-boring-one/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [To me, the thing that is worse than death is betrayal. You see, I could conceive death, but I could not conceive betrayal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/to-me-the-thing-that-is-worse-than-death-is-betrayal-you-see-i-could/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The only thing that's been a worse flop than the organization of nonviolence has been the organization of violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-baez/the-only-thing-that-s-been-a-worse-flop-than-the-organization-of/) [Joan Baez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-baez/) > [The only thing worse than starting something and failing... is not starting something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-only-thing-worse-than-starting-something-and-failing-is-not/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [“The only thing worse than regretting the things you've done is regretting the things you didn't do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-leahy/the-only-thing-worse-than-regretting-the-things-you-ve-done-is/) [Samantha Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-leahy/) > [“The only thing worse than being blind is having sight and no vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/the-only-thing-worse-than-being-blind-is-having-sight-and-no-vision/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) ## 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 Quoting quotes > [Filmmakers get into trouble when they're watching too many DVDs and quoting all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mangold/filmmakers-get-into-trouble-when-they-re-watching-too-many-dvds-and/) [James Mangold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mangold/) > [I don't know Beyoncé, but I have the impression that she's sincere, that she really is a feminist and wanted to put the word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/i-don-t-know-beyonc-but-i-have-the-impression-that-she-s-sincere-that/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [As a journalist, your words are regularly read by lots of people, but they're not your words: they're someone else's. You're quoting people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/as-a-journalist-your-words-are-regularly-read-by-lots-of-people-but/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [“The nice thing about life is that it's filled with second chances. Quoting Bill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-nice-thing-about-life-is-that-it-s-filled-with-second-chances/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [When life is rosy, we may slide by with knowing about Jesus, with imitating him and quoting him and speaking of him. But only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/when-life-is-rosy-we-may-slide-by-with-knowing-about-jesus-with/) [Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) > [How could believers, people who regard themselves as true Muslims, get on those planes, quoting the words of God delivered through the Prophet to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/how-could-believers-people-who-regard-themselves-as-true-muslims-get/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [“Those who are quoting Justin Bieber are ruining this site.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-munn/those-who-are-quoting-justin-bieber-are-ruining-this-site/) [Michael Munn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-munn/) > [Quoting E. B. White is the easiest way I know of to fool people into thinking that I am perceptive, witty, and wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-behrens/quoting-e-b-white-is-the-easiest-way-i-know-of-to-fool-people-into/) [Peter Behrens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-behrens/) > [“The novel used to feed our search for meaning. Quoting Bill. It was the great secular transcendence. The Latin mass of language, character, occasional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-novel-used-to-feed-our-search-for-meaning-quoting-bill-it-was-the/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [Quoting her mother: The trouble with a book is you never know what's in it until it's too late!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/quoting-her-mother-the-trouble-with-a-book-is-you-never-know-what-s/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [One must never miss an opportunity of quoting things by others which are always more interesting than those one thinks up oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/one-must-never-miss-an-opportunity-of-quoting-things-by-others-which/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [“I’ll try. That which does not kill us makes us stronger, right?” “You’re quoting Kelly Clarkson?” “No, Nietzsche,” Harper replied with a quiet laugh.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-cole/i-ll-try-that-which-does-not-kill-us-makes-us-stronger-right-you-re/) [Scarlett Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-cole/) > [“Stop quoting me!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bambi-f-moore/stop-quoting-me/) [Bambi F. Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bambi-f-moore/) > [An aphorism is a mental exercise, psychical, logical, linguistic, spiritual, ritual, emotional and rational, it is a major conceptual and literary activity, a mixture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-c-brown/an-aphorism-is-a-mental-exercise-psychical-logical-linguistic/) [William C. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-c-brown/) > [Finding a thought for an aphorism is not hard. Putting a kink in its tail is the hard part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/finding-a-thought-for-an-aphorism-is-not-hard-putting-a-kink-in-its/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) [Browse all 213 Quoting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quoting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only thing worse than quoting me, is not quoting me", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oscar Wilde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-only-thing-worse-than-quoting-me-is-not-quoting-me/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Quoting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-only-thing-worse-than-quoting-me-is-not-quoting-me/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a81/oscar-wilde-16_quoting_the-only-thing-worse-than-quoting-me-is_2918396.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a81/oscar-wilde-16_quoting_the-only-thing-worse-than-quoting-me-is_2918396.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a81/oscar-wilde-16_quoting_the-only-thing-worse-than-quoting-me-is_2918396.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only thing worse than quoting me, is not quoting me” — 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": "The only thing worse than quoting...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-only-thing-worse-than-quoting-me-is-not-quoting-me/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-only-thing-worse-than-quoting-me-is-not-quoting-me/#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 } } ] } ```