--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Trying to take back hurtful words said in…" description: "\"Trying to take back hurtful words said in anger, is like trying to retrieve the bullets after you've fired the gun.\" — Rashida Rowe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/rashida-rowe-428_anger_trying-to-take-back-hurtful-words-said-i_1416163.jpg" --- # Trying to take back hurtful words said in anger, is like… ![“Trying to take back hurtful words said in anger, is like trying to retrieve the bullets after you've fired the gun.” quote by Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/rashida-rowe-428_anger_trying-to-take-back-hurtful-words-said-i_1416163.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/rashida-rowe-428_anger_trying-to-take-back-hurtful-words-said-i_1416163.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/rashida-rowe-428_anger_trying-to-take-back-hurtful-words-said-i_1416163.jpg) > “Trying to take back hurtful words said in anger, is like trying to retrieve the bullets after you've fired the gun.” [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attempting to undo harsh words is futile, like retrieving bullets after a gun is fired. **In simple terms:** Undoing angry words is impossible. Key Takeaway Accept that words cannot be taken back. Themes communication responsibility emotions Mood regretful reflective Type advice cautionary When to use this quote - relationships - workplace - social media - family discussions Key Concepts psychology conflict resolution Questions to Reflect On - How can you prevent hurtful speech? - What steps can you take to repair damage after speaking in anger? A Different Perspective Words spoken cannot be retracted, so focus on repair and future care. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Hurtful words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurtful-words/) [Regrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regrets/) [Remorse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remorse/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [“He said anger was like a heavy rock, hard to carry every day. 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But even when feel we've been provoked,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariane-corbito/it-s-sad-that-the-people-we-love-the-most-are-often-the-target-of-our/) [Mariane Corbito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariane-corbito/) > [Before hurtful words come pouring out of your mouth,think first- then leave them unsad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariane-corbito/before-hurtful-words-come-pouring-out-of-your-mouth-think-first-then/) [Mariane Corbito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariane-corbito/) > [Hurtful words can cut deep. 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I was about to answer when he left the booth and walked over to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goode/really-he-said-the-anger-in-his-voice-growing-i-was-about-to-answer/) [John Goode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goode/) > [Some words said out of anger cannot be erased, they can only be painted off but will always appear anytime the paint goes thin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/some-words-said-out-of-anger-cannot-be-erased-they-can-only-be/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [“Her anger said, as anger is apt to say, that God was with her— that all heaven, though it were crowded with spirits watching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/her-anger-said-as-anger-is-apt-to-say-that-god-was-with-her-that-all/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“Never take literally what is said out of anger! They are said just to hurt you – sometimes the opposite could be true!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-samuel/never-take-literally-what-is-said-out-of-anger-they-are-said-just-to/) [Ravi Samuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-samuel/) > [I asked a shrink: 'Everything is so great. Why am I still so angry?' He said, 'Anger doesn't go away.' I always thought it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-nichols/i-asked-a-shrink-everything-is-so-great-why-am-i-still-so-angry-he/) [Mike Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-nichols/) > [Three things you can't recover: Words said in anger. A tear from a hurt friend. A child's pride after angry words have been spoken.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/three-things-you-can-t-recover-words-said-in-anger-a-tear-from-a-hurt/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) ## More by Rashida Rowe > [You can think about it, wonder what went wrong, over analyze the situation but the fact remains... it's the past, just let it go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/you-can-think-about-it-wonder-what-went-wrong-over-analyze-the/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [If I could rewind time, I would go back to our last moments together and instead of watching you walk away I would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/if-i-could-rewind-time-i-would-go-back-to-our-last-moments-together/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [Before pursuing a new relationship, you should never look for someone to complete you, a relationship consists of two whole individuals, look for someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/before-pursuing-a-new-relationship-you-should-never-look-for-someone/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [A successful relationship requires a lot of work, unfortunately some people aren't always willing to put in the effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/a-successful-relationship-requires-a-lot-of-work-unfortunately-some/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [The feeling you get, when you realize the person you want most in this world, doesn't want you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/the-feeling-you-get-when-you-realize-the-person-you-want-most-in-this/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [Another day, Another blessing and Another chance at life. 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No matter how bad you may think you need a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/having-a-man-or-woman-to-love-should-enhance-your-life-not-define-it/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [Make sure your business is in order, before sticking your nose in someone elses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/make-sure-your-business-is-in-order-before-sticking-your-nose-in/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [Judging someone before you have gotten to know them is like explaining the contents of a book youve never read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/judging-someone-before-you-have-gotten-to-know-them-is-like/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [Our lifetime is short and limited, but the ideas, actions and thoughts we produce can easily remain unlimited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/our-lifetime-is-short-and-limited-but-the-ideas-actions-and-thoughts/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) [Explore all 570 Rashida Rowe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Trying to take back hurtful words said in anger, is like trying to retrieve the bullets after you've fired the gun.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rashida Rowe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/trying-to-take-back-hurtful-words-said-in-anger-is-like-trying-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anger" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/trying-to-take-back-hurtful-words-said-in-anger-is-like-trying-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/rashida-rowe-428_anger_trying-to-take-back-hurtful-words-said-i_1416163.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/rashida-rowe-428_anger_trying-to-take-back-hurtful-words-said-i_1416163.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/rashida-rowe-428_anger_trying-to-take-back-hurtful-words-said-i_1416163.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Trying to take back hurtful words said in anger, is like trying to retrieve the bullets after you've fired…” — Rashida Rowe", "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": "Rashida Rowe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Trying to take back hurtful words...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/trying-to-take-back-hurtful-words-said-in-anger-is-like-trying-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/trying-to-take-back-hurtful-words-said-in-anger-is-like-trying-to/#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 } } ] } ```