--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A verbal contract is worth about as much…" description: "\"“A verbal contract is worth about as much as the paper it's written on.”\" — Samuel Goldwyn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/818/samuel-goldwyn-3156_advice_a-verbal-contract-is-worth-about-as-much_1323784.jpg" --- # A verbal contract is worth about as much as the paper it's… ![“A verbal contract is worth about as much as the paper it's written on.” quote by Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/818/samuel-goldwyn-3156_advice_a-verbal-contract-is-worth-about-as-much_1323784.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/818/samuel-goldwyn-3156_advice_a-verbal-contract-is-worth-about-as-much_1323784.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/818/samuel-goldwyn-3156_advice_a-verbal-contract-is-worth-about-as-much_1323784.jpg) > ““A verbal contract is worth about as much as the paper it's written on.”” [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Verbal agreements lack enforceable weight, making them unreliable. **In simple terms:** Oral contracts are as good as paper. Key Takeaway Get things in writing. Themes trust legal communication Mood cautious pragmatic Type legal advisory When to use this quote - business deals - personal promises - collaborations Key Concepts contract law risk management Questions to Reflect On - When is a verbal promise sufficient? - How can you protect yourself without written contracts? A Different Perspective Oral agreements can be trusted in close relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Contract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contract/) [Contract Worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contract-worth-1775710/) [Paper Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paper-written-385660/) [Verbal Contract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/verbal-contract-1458671/) [Worth Paper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worth-paper-692762/) ## Related quotes > [“An' you told him what I said about a verbal contract not being worth the paper it's printed on?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/an-you-told-him-what-i-said-about-a-verbal-contract-not-being-worth/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“An oral contract isn't worth the paper it's written on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-goldwyn-jr/an-oral-contract-isn-t-worth-the-paper-it-s-written-on/) [Sam Goldwyn Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-goldwyn-jr/) > [A verbal contract isn't worth the paper it's written on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/a-verbal-contract-isn-t-worth-the-paper-it-s-written-on/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) > [Of course a politician's promise isn't worth the paper it's written on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-pearce/of-course-a-politician-s-promise-isn-t-worth-the-paper-it-s-written-on/) [Russell Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-pearce/) > [A five-year contract is worth no more than a six-month contract these days; it's very concerning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niko-kovac/a-five-year-contract-is-worth-no-more-than-a-six-month-contract-these/) [Niko Kovac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niko-kovac/) > [“Never do a verbal contract with a Snake ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niedria-dionne-kenny/never-do-a-verbal-contract-with-a-snake/) [Niedria Dionne Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niedria-dionne-kenny/) > [I think it's smart to fight to the end of your contract and see what your worth is on the open market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benson-henderson/i-think-it-s-smart-to-fight-to-the-end-of-your-contract-and-see-what/) [Benson Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benson-henderson/) > [“To lovers out there ... A relationship is verbal contract between two people. Like any contract there are clauses, terms and conditions. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/to-lovers-out-there-a-relationship-is-verbal-contract-between-two/) [De philosopher DJ Kyos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/) > [“When you speak and affirm, you are creating a verbal contract with yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/when-you-speak-and-affirm-you-are-creating-a-verbal-contract-with/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“Never make a verbal contract with a snake. Always put it in Venom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niedria-dionne-kenny-kenny/never-make-a-verbal-contract-with-a-snake-always-put-it-in-venom/) [Niedria Dionne Kenny Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niedria-dionne-kenny-kenny/) > [One Ad is worth more to a paper than forty Editorials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/one-ad-is-worth-more-to-a-paper-than-forty-editorials/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [No vision is worth the paper it's printed on unless it is communicated constantly and reinforced with rewards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/no-vision-is-worth-the-paper-it-s-printed-on-unless-it-is/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [Why one Ad is worth more to a paper than 40 Editorials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/why-one-ad-is-worth-more-to-a-paper-than-40-editorials/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [“This isn’t a religious book though I mention God, not a medical advisory though I speak of pain. It’s a circus, a mortuary, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chila-woychik/this-isn-t-a-religious-book-though-i-mention-god-not-a-medical/) [Chila Woychik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chila-woychik/) > [I'm not one of those to say Kyoto is not worth the paper it's printed on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-e-ott/i-m-not-one-of-those-to-say-kyoto-is-not-worth-the-paper-it-s-printed/) [Hermann E. Ott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-e-ott/) ## More by Samuel Goldwyn > [If I were in this business only for the business, I wouldn't be in this business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/if-i-were-in-this-business-only-for-the-business-i-wouldn-t-be-in/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) > [If I look confused it is because I am thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/if-i-look-confused-it-is-because-i-am-thinking/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) > [Don't worry about the war. It's all over but the shooting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/don-t-worry-about-the-war-it-s-all-over-but-the-shooting/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) > [Having integrity...means being completely true to what is inside you - to what you know is right...what you feel you must do, regardless of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/having-integrity-means-being-completely-true-to-what-is-inside-you-to/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) > [For your information, I would like to ask a question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/for-your-information-i-would-like-to-ask-a-question/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) > [Don't pay any attention to the critics - don't even ignore them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/don-t-pay-any-attention-to-the-critics-don-t-even-ignore-them/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) > [I never liked you, and I always will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/i-never-liked-you-and-i-always-will/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) > [They stayed away in droves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/they-stayed-away-in-droves/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) > [Television has raised writing to a new low.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/television-has-raised-writing-to-a-new-low/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) > [I never put on a pair of shoes until I've worn them at least five years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/i-never-put-on-a-pair-of-shoes-until-i-ve-worn-them-at-least-five/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) > [Include me out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/include-me-out/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) > [ \[when asked by his secretary if she should destroy all files that were over ten years old\] Yes, but keep copies. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/when-asked-by-his-secretary-if-she-should-destroy-all-files-that-were/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) > [A Hospital isn't any place to end up being sick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/a-hospital-isn-t-any-place-to-end-up-being-sick/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) > [Too caustic? To hell with the costs, we'll make the picture anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/too-caustic-to-hell-with-the-costs-we-ll-make-the-picture-anyway/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) > [Modern dancing is old fashioned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/modern-dancing-is-old-fashioned/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) [Explore all 138 Samuel Goldwyn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) ## More Advice quotes > [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. Sweet, honest, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aprilynne-pike/if-your-clothes-are-enough-to-drive-would-be-friends-away-they-re-not/) [Aprilynne Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aprilynne-pike/) > [“My kingdom not for a horse, but for a good piece of advice!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/my-kingdom-not-for-a-horse-but-for-a-good-piece-of-advice/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. 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He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-coman/my-relationship-with-ibrahimovic-was-completely-neutral-he-is-not-the/) [Kingsley Coman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-coman/) [Browse all 8,535 Advice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A verbal contract is worth about as much as the paper it's written on.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Goldwyn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/a-verbal-contract-is-worth-about-as-much-as-the-paper-it-s-written-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/a-verbal-contract-is-worth-about-as-much-as-the-paper-it-s-written-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/818/samuel-goldwyn-3156_advice_a-verbal-contract-is-worth-about-as-much_1323784.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/818/samuel-goldwyn-3156_advice_a-verbal-contract-is-worth-about-as-much_1323784.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/818/samuel-goldwyn-3156_advice_a-verbal-contract-is-worth-about-as-much_1323784.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A verbal contract is worth about as much as the paper it's written on.” — Samuel Goldwyn", "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": "Samuel Goldwyn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A verbal contract is worth about...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/a-verbal-contract-is-worth-about-as-much-as-the-paper-it-s-written-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/a-verbal-contract-is-worth-about-as-much-as-the-paper-it-s-written-on/#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 } } ] } ```