--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but…" description: "\"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will always hurt me. Bones mend and become actually stronger in the very place they were broken and whe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/stephen-fry-573_bones_sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but_392353.png" --- # Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will… ![“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will always hurt me. Bones mend and become actually stronger in the very place they were broken and where they have knitted up; mental wounds can grind and ooze for decades and be re-opened by the quietest whisper.” quote by Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/stephen-fry-573_bones_sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but_392353.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/stephen-fry-573_bones_sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but_392353.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/stephen-fry-573_bones_sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but_392353.png) > “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will always hurt me. Bones mend and become actually stronger in the very place they were broken and where they have knitted up; mental wounds can grind and ooze for decades and be re-opened by the quietest whisper.” [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Harsh words can cause deep, lingering pain, yet physical injuries heal stronger; mental scars may persist and be reopened. **In simple terms:** Words can wound deeper than physical harm. Key Takeaway Choose words wisely, heal emotional wounds. Themes communication pain healing Mood reflective empathetic Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - relationships - social media - workplace - family Key Concepts psychology trauma resilience Questions to Reflect On - What strategies help heal emotional pain? - How can we prevent reopening old wounds? A Different Perspective Physical wounds heal faster; emotional wounds need active care. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bones/) [Bones Mend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bones-mend-2425752/) [Bones Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bones-words/) [Break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break/) [Break Bones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break-bones/) [Broken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broken/) [Grind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grind/) [Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurt/) [Hurt Bones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurt-bones-3536406/) [Hurt me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurt-me/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Sticks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sticks/) [Sticks and stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sticks-and-stones/) [Stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stones/) [Stronger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stronger/) [Words hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-hurt/) [Wounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wounds/) ## Related quotes > [Sticks and stones may break your bones but words can hurt you in a different way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sticks-and-stones-may-break-your-bones-but-words-can-hurt-you-in-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Stick and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/stick-and-stones-may-break-your-bones-but-words-will-never-hurt-you/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“What does not kill you makes you stronger but sticks and stones can break your bones AND words do hurt”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanda-hahn/what-does-not-kill-you-makes-you-stronger-but-sticks-and-stones-can/) [Chanda Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanda-hahn/) > [“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will always hurt me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but-words-will-always-hurt-me-2/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [“I'd rather have names to hurt me, than my bones broken with sticks and stones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/i-d-rather-have-names-to-hurt-me-than-my-bones-broken-with-sticks-and/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [“AaaSticks and stones can break your bones and words can make you queasy or crazy, the more so when you identify them with what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/aaasticks-and-stones-can-break-your-bones-and-words-can-make-you/) [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/) > [Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will rip my skin apart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sangfroid-stalker/sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but-words-will-rip-my-skin-apart/) [SangFroid Stalker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sangfroid-stalker/) > [Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can do much worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madi/sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but-words-can-do-much-worse/) [Madi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madi/) > [Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will make me go in a corner and cry by myself for hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but-words-will-make-me-go-in-a/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words have the power to destroy me”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-messe/sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but-words-have-the-power-to/) [Ellie Messe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-messe/) > [“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/) > [“Sticks and stones will break your bones, but now words can kill, too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/sticks-and-stones-will-break-your-bones-but-now-words-can-kill-too/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Sticks and stones and small caliber bullets may break my bones... Words will never, et cetera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/sticks-and-stones-and-small-caliber-bullets-may-break-my-bones-words/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [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/) ## More by Stephen Fry > [“...Catholic versus Protestant, essentially. It's that kind of fight. ... And it goes on to this day. Will we never learn? Who knows? Religion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/catholic-versus-protestant-essentially-it-s-that-kind-of-fight-and-it/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [How dare you? How dare you create a world in which there is such misery that is not our fault? It's not right, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/how-dare-you-how-dare-you-create-a-world-in-which-there-is-such/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [“Look at the kind of people who most object to the childishness and cheapness of celebrity culture. Does one really want to side with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/look-at-the-kind-of-people-who-most-object-to-the-childishness-and/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [“The object of love should feel honoured or flattered, responsible in some way. Instead he felt insulted, degraded and revolted. More than that, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/the-object-of-love-should-feel-honoured-or-flattered-responsible-in/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [The only people who are obsessed with food are anorexics and the morbidly obese. 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Apart from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-ve-never-had-any-illusions-about-being-a-lead-actor-in-films/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [Because, let's face it, I do not get offered the parts that Brad Pitt has just turned down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/because-let-s-face-it-i-do-not-get-offered-the-parts-that-brad-pitt/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [I will defend the absolute value of Mozart over Miley Cyrus, of course I will, but we should be wary of false dichotomies. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-will-defend-the-absolute-value-of-mozart-over-miley-cyrus-of-course/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [You can't just say there is a god because the world is beautiful. You have to account for bone cancer in children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/you-can-t-just-say-there-is-a-god-because-the-world-is-beautiful-you/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [If you know someone who's depressed, please resolve never to ask them why. Depression isn't a straightforward response to a bad situation; depression just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/if-you-know-someone-who-s-depressed-please-resolve-never-to-ask-them/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [It's as if scientists exert every effort of will they possess deliberately to find the least significant problems in the world and explain them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/it-s-as-if-scientists-exert-every-effort-of-will-they-possess/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) [Explore all 466 Stephen Fry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) ## More Bones quotes > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! 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The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Surely, God could have caused birds to fly with their bones made of solid gold, with their veins full of quicksilver, with their flesh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/surely-god-could-have-caused-birds-to-fly-with-their-bones-made-of/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [“We are preaching hope, standing on the bones of the past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rucyahana/we-are-preaching-hope-standing-on-the-bones-of-the-past/) [John Rucyahana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rucyahana/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [I separated the joints, the arm joints, the leg joints, and had to do two boilings. I think I used four boxes of Soilex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-dahmer/i-separated-the-joints-the-arm-joints-the-leg-joints-and-had-to-do/) [Jeffrey Dahmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-dahmer/) > [Flesh forgets. Bone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-bass/flesh-forgets-bone-remembers/) [Jefferson Bass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-bass/) > [One of my favorite poets, Neruda, writes close to the bone. Though I know only a little Spanish, I like to compare the Spanish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-diament/one-of-my-favorite-poets-neruda-writes-close-to-the-bone-though-i/) [Anita Diament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-diament/) > [Death and burial were a public spectacle. 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