--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is better to be frightened now than…" description: "\"It is better to be frightened now than killed hereafter\" — Winston Churchill" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a32/winston-churchill-95_better_it-is-better-to-be-frightened-now-than-k_768175.jpg" --- # It is better to be frightened now than killed hereafter ![“It is better to be frightened now than killed hereafter” quote by Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a32/winston-churchill-95_better_it-is-better-to-be-frightened-now-than-k_768175.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a32/winston-churchill-95_better_it-is-better-to-be-frightened-now-than-k_768175.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a32/winston-churchill-95_better_it-is-better-to-be-frightened-now-than-k_768175.jpg) > “It is better to be frightened now than killed hereafter” [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Facing danger now is preferable to being killed later; better to confront fear early. **In simple terms:** Better to be scared now than die later. Key Takeaway Confront challenges promptly. Themes courage risk survival Mood tense resolute Type historical motivational When to use this quote - military planning - personal health decisions - financial risk management Key Concepts war strategy psychology fatalism Questions to Reflect On - What risks are you avoiding? - How can you turn fear into preparedness? A Different Perspective Early fear may paralyze action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Hereafter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hereafter/) [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) ## Related quotes > [Better frightened than lied to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-black/better-frightened-than-lied-to/) [Jacob Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-black/) > [In war, you can only be killed once, but in politics, many times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/in-war-you-can-only-be-killed-once-but-in-politics-many-times/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Show no love, cause love will get you killed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/show-no-love-cause-love-will-get-you-killed/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [The only thing that ever really frightened me during the war was the U-Boat peril...It did not take the form of flaring battles and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-only-thing-that-ever-really-frightened-me-during-the-war-was-the/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [When I find a ladybug I ask the butler to take it outside instead of killing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/when-i-find-a-ladybug-i-ask-the-butler-to-take-it-outside-instead-of/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Little did we guess that what has been called the century of the common man would witness as its outstanding feature more common men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/little-did-we-guess-that-what-has-been-called-the-century-of-the/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“the testing of the believer is like medicine for him. It cures him from illness. Had the illness remained it would destroy him or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-testing-of-the-believer-is-like-medicine-for-him-it-cures-him/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The things that have been and shall be no more, The things that are, and that hereafter shall be, The things that might have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/the-things-that-have-been-and-shall-be-no-more-the-things-that-are/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [In this world there is a paradise, whoever does not enter it will not enter the Paradise of the Hereafter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-taymiyyah/in-this-world-there-is-a-paradise-whoever-does-not-enter-it-will-not/) [Ibn Taymiyyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-taymiyyah/) > [He who would not be frustrate of his hope to write well hereafter in laudable things ought himself to be a true poem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/he-who-would-not-be-frustrate-of-his-hope-to-write-well-hereafter-in/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Sometimes this world comes between us and what we love. But if we are patient, when this world passes away, there will be no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/sometimes-this-world-comes-between-us-and-what-we-love-but-if-we-are/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [Thus departed Hiawatha, Hiawatha the Beloved, In the glory of the sunset, In the purple mists of evening, To the regions of the home-wind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/thus-departed-hiawatha-hiawatha-the-beloved-in-the-glory-of-the/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [The utmost we can hope for in this world is contentment; if we aim at anything higher, we shall meet with nothing but grief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/the-utmost-we-can-hope-for-in-this-world-is-contentment-if-we-aim-at/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [This world is not a platform where you will hear Thalberg-piano-playing. It is a piano manufactory, where are dust and shavings and boards, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/this-world-is-not-a-platform-where-you-will-hear-thalberg-piano/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [How vast the benefits divine which we in Christ possess! We are redeemed from guilt and shame and called to holiness. But not for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-toplady/how-vast-the-benefits-divine-which-we-in-christ-possess-we-are/) [Augustus Toplady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-toplady/) ## More by Winston Churchill > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [This is no time for ease and comfort. It is time to dare and endure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/this-is-no-time-for-ease-and-comfort-it-is-time-to-dare-and-endure/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [If I had been an Italian I am sure that I should have been whole-heartedly with you from the start to finish in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/if-i-had-been-an-italian-i-am-sure-that-i-should-have-been-whole/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Never, never, never give up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/never-never-never-give-up/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but most times he will pick himself up and carry on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/man-will-occasionally-stumble-over-the-truth-but-most-times-he-will/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [God alone knows how great it is. All I hope is that it is not too late. I am very much afraid that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/god-alone-knows-how-great-it-is-all-i-hope-is-that-it-is-not-too-late/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [When you're 20 you care what everyone thinks, when you're 40 you stop caring what everyone thinks, when you're 60 you realize no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/when-you-re-20-you-care-what-everyone-thinks-when-you-re-40-you-stop/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Writing a book is an adventure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/writing-a-book-is-an-adventure/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [All men make mistakes, but only wise men learn from their mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/all-men-make-mistakes-but-only-wise-men-learn-from-their-mistakes/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [People who are not prepared to do unpopular things and defy the clamor of the multitude are not fit to be ministers in time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/people-who-are-not-prepared-to-do-unpopular-things-and-defy-the/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [To meet Roosevelt with all his buoyant sparkle, his iridescence, was like opening a bottle of champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/to-meet-roosevelt-with-all-his-buoyant-sparkle-his-iridescence-was/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-am-always-ready-to-learn-although-i-do-not-always-like-being-taught/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There are plenty of good ideas, if only they can be backed with the power of action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/there-are-plenty-of-good-ideas-if-only-they-can-be-backed-with-the/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) [Explore all 1,366 Winston Churchill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) ## More Better quotes > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [Everybody has their cliques, and I was very shy. I'm still very shy. Music opened up doors. I would get to my choir class,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-fonsi/everybody-has-their-cliques-and-i-was-very-shy-i-m-still-very-shy/) [Luis Fonsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-fonsi/) > [You can't force people to feel in a certain way, and the sooner you understand that,the better. I feel everything has its way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidharth-malhotra/you-can-t-force-people-to-feel-in-a-certain-way-and-the-sooner-you/) [Sidharth Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidharth-malhotra/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [The bigger the canvas, the better I do. I'm not so good at understated, kitchen-sink kinds of parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/the-bigger-the-canvas-the-better-i-do-i-m-not-so-good-at-understated/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [The Little you Give !! The Better it Gets !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-stanyer/the-little-you-give-the-better-it-gets/) [Mario Stanyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-stanyer/) > [A strong, durable Puerto Rican economy will leave the island better prepared to handle future natural disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/a-strong-durable-puerto-rican-economy-will-leave-the-island-better/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [In my first 100 days as Ontario's Minister of Transportation, I found a willing municipal partner in the City of Toronto that shares our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-mulroney/in-my-first-100-days-as-ontario-s-minister-of-transportation-i-found/) [Caroline Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-mulroney/) > [It hasn't been a conscious thing, like, 'I don't want to listen to a bunch of dudes,' but I genuinely like music by women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soccer-mommy/it-hasn-t-been-a-conscious-thing-like-i-don-t-want-to-listen-to-a/) [Soccer Mommy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soccer-mommy/) > [Life is going to hit you some line drives, and sometimes you'll have to think fast. However, it's better to think first than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/life-is-going-to-hit-you-some-line-drives-and-sometimes-you-ll-have/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [I like to collaborate with other people for studio recordings because I believe collaboration, in any form, makes music better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-like-to-collaborate-with-other-people-for-studio-recordings-because/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [Not having drops and not taking plays off, if I do that it will make everyone around me better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/not-having-drops-and-not-taking-plays-off-if-i-do-that-it-will-make/) [Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/) > [Cara Delevingne and I took an eyebrow selfie. We both have prominent eyebrows, but hers are much better than mine. Maybe we should do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-poulter/cara-delevingne-and-i-took-an-eyebrow-selfie-we-both-have-prominent/) [Will Poulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-poulter/) > [I never really look at it past one year. I look at last year and my whole goal is to be a better player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-williams/i-never-really-look-at-it-past-one-year-i-look-at-last-year-and-my/) [Trent Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-williams/) Browse all 17,085 Better quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is better to be frightened now than killed hereafter", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Winston Churchill" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/it-is-better-to-be-frightened-now-than-killed-hereafter/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Better" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/it-is-better-to-be-frightened-now-than-killed-hereafter/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a32/winston-churchill-95_better_it-is-better-to-be-frightened-now-than-k_768175.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a32/winston-churchill-95_better_it-is-better-to-be-frightened-now-than-k_768175.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a32/winston-churchill-95_better_it-is-better-to-be-frightened-now-than-k_768175.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is better to be frightened now than killed hereafter” — Winston Churchill", "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": "Winston Churchill", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is better to be frightened...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/it-is-better-to-be-frightened-now-than-killed-hereafter/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/it-is-better-to-be-frightened-now-than-killed-hereafter/#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 } } ] } ```