--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is a homely old adage which runs…" description: "\"There is a homely old adage which runs: \"Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.\" If the American nation will speak softly, and yet build ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/theodore-roosevelt-218_adages_there-is-a-homely-old-adage-which-runs-s_1051257.jpg" --- # There is a homely old adage which runs: "Speak softly and… ![“There is a homely old adage which runs: "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far." If the American nation will speak softly, and yet build and keep at a pitch of the highest training a thoroughly efficient navy, the Monroe Doctrine will go far.” quote by Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/theodore-roosevelt-218_adages_there-is-a-homely-old-adage-which-runs-s_1051257.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/theodore-roosevelt-218_adages_there-is-a-homely-old-adage-which-runs-s_1051257.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/theodore-roosevelt-218_adages_there-is-a-homely-old-adage-which-runs-s_1051257.jpg) > “There is a homely old adage which runs: "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far." If the American nation will speak softly, and yet build and keep at a pitch of the highest training a thoroughly efficient navy, the Monroe Doctrine will go far.” [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates combining diplomatic restraint with strong military capability to achieve national goals. **In simple terms:** Use soft words, back them with power. Key Takeaway Balance diplomacy with strength. Themes foreign policy power diplomacy military strategy Mood cautious determined Type political strategic When to use this quote - international negotiations - defense planning - national security - political leadership Key Concepts Realism deterrence soft power Questions to Reflect On - How can a nation maintain credibility without aggression? - When is soft power insufficient? A Different Perspective Overreliance on force can provoke conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adages/) [Carry A Big Stick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carry-a-big-stick/) [Doctrine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctrine/) [Monroe doctrine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monroe-doctrine/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Navy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/navy/) [Patriotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotic/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/training/) ## Related quotes > [Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/speak-softly-and-carry-a-big-stick-you-will-go-far/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [“Speak softly, but carry a big stick.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-marshall/speak-softly-but-carry-a-big-stick/) [Tim Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-marshall/) > [“I have always been fond of the West African proverb: ‘Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far,’ ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-have-always-been-fond-of-the-west-african-proverb-speak-softly-and/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [You know I love a good family feud and I carry a big stick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-i-love-a-good-family-feud-and-i-carry-a-big-stick/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Speak softly and carry a big stick.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-roosevelt/speak-softly-and-carry-a-big-stick/) [Teddy Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-roosevelt/) > [Walk softly and carry a big stick. Or stomp loudly and carry enough firepower to start a small war. Whatever worked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-hunter/walk-softly-and-carry-a-big-stick-or-stomp-loudly-and-carry-enough/) [Faith Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-hunter/) > [I firmly believe people have hitherto been a great deal too much taken up about doctrine and far too little about practice. The word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-firmly-believe-people-have-hitherto-been-a-great-deal-too-much/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Right here let me make as vigorous a plea as I know how in favor of saying nothing that we do not mean, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/right-here-let-me-make-as-vigorous-a-plea-as-i-know-how-in-favor-of/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [In the Western Hemisphere the adherence of the United States to the Monroe Doctrine may force the United States, however reluctantly, in flagrant cases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/in-the-western-hemisphere-the-adherence-of-the-united-states-to-the/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [“It had been Theodore Roosevelt’s dictum — using a supposed West African proverb — that a successful leader should “speak softly and carry a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-hamilton/it-had-been-theodore-roosevelt-s-dictum-using-a-supposed-west-african/) [Nigel Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-hamilton/) > [“Speak softly, but carry a big stick. —Theodore Roosevelt, U.S. president”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/speak-softly-but-carry-a-big-stick-theodore-roosevelt-u-s-president/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [My hero is a guy named Teddy Roosevelt. Teddy Roosevelt used to say, walk softly, talk softly but carry a big stick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/my-hero-is-a-guy-named-teddy-roosevelt-teddy-roosevelt-used-to-say/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Teddy Roosevelt... once said, 'Speak softly and carry a big stick.' Jimmy Carter wants to speak loudly and carry a fly swatter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford/teddy-roosevelt-once-said-speak-softly-and-carry-a-big-stick-jimmy/) [Gerald R. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-r-ford/) > [I'm going to stay respectful. The team comes first. I'm not going to do anything to jeopardize them or myself, so I'll just make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-garrett/i-m-going-to-stay-respectful-the-team-comes-first-i-m-not-going-to-do/) [Myles Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-garrett/) > [I really believe that actually Ahmadinejad undermines Iran far more than he enhances Iran's status. 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Man was never intended to become an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/get-action-seize-the-moment-man-was-never-intended-to-become-an-oyster/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Argument weak; speak loudly!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/argument-weak-speak-loudly/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Let the watchwords of all our people be the old familiar watchwords of honesty, decency, fair-dealing, and commonsense."... "We must treat each man on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/let-the-watchwords-of-all-our-people-be-the-old-familiar-watchwords/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The forces that tend for evil are great and terrible, but the forces of truth and love and courage and honesty and generosity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-forces-that-tend-for-evil-are-great-and-terrible-but-the-forces/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Every reform movement has a lunatic fringe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/every-reform-movement-has-a-lunatic-fringe/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Conservation and rural-life policies are really two sides of the same policy; and down at the bottom this policy rests upon the fundamental law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/conservation-and-rural-life-policies-are-really-two-sides-of-the-same/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [It is a great mistake to think that the extremist is a better man than the moderate. 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That's why 'Sleep on it' is an adage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-voight/something-happens-when-your-subconscious-goes-to-work-that-s-why/) [Jon Voight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-voight/) > [There's an adage that a lot of coaches have, that I completely disagree with, is if you make the Olympic team too early you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-coughlin/there-s-an-adage-that-a-lot-of-coaches-have-that-i-completely/) [Natalie Coughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-coughlin/) > [An ancient adage warns, "Never go to sea with two chronometers; take one or three."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-brooks/an-ancient-adage-warns-never-go-to-sea-with-two-chronometers-take-one/) [Fred Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-brooks/) > [Don't judge the picture by the frame, every man is not the same](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/don-t-judge-the-picture-by-the-frame-every-man-is-not-the-same/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [Failure isn't failure if a lesson from it's learned. 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Fool you twice, you're just a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-chapin-carpenter/fool-you-once-you-are-forgiven-fool-you-twice-you-re-just-a-fool/) [Mary Chapin Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-chapin-carpenter/) [Browse all 340 Adages quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adages/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is a homely old adage which runs: \"Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.\" If the American nation will speak softly, and yet build and keep at a pitch of the highest training a thoroughly efficient navy, the Monroe Doctrine will go far.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Theodore Roosevelt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-is-a-homely-old-adage-which-runs-speak-softly-and-carry-a-big/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adages" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-is-a-homely-old-adage-which-runs-speak-softly-and-carry-a-big/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/theodore-roosevelt-218_adages_there-is-a-homely-old-adage-which-runs-s_1051257.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/theodore-roosevelt-218_adages_there-is-a-homely-old-adage-which-runs-s_1051257.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/theodore-roosevelt-218_adages_there-is-a-homely-old-adage-which-runs-s_1051257.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is a homely old adage which runs: \"Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.\" If the…” — Theodore Roosevelt", "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": "Theodore Roosevelt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is a homely old adage...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-is-a-homely-old-adage-which-runs-speak-softly-and-carry-a-big/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-is-a-homely-old-adage-which-runs-speak-softly-and-carry-a-big/#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 } } ] } ```