actions speak louder than words

ac·tion speak loud·er than words
UK, contemporary/ˈak.ʃənz spiːk ˈlaʊ̯d.ə ˌðan wɜːdz/UK/ˈæk.ʃənz spiːk ˈlaʊ̯d.ə ˌðæn wɜːdz/UK/-ðən-/Canada, US/ˈæk.ʃənz spik ˈlaʊ̯d.əɹ ˌðæn wɜɹdz/

proverb

It is more effective to act directly than to speak of action.

Opposite
the pen is mightier than the sword
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Meanings

proverb
  1. It is more effective to act directly than to speak of action.

    "The Government says accessibility is a priority, but actions speak louder than words," he said.

    2026 February 4, David Stubbings, “Frustrations over Access for All decisions”, in RAIL, number 1054, page 17

    Antonyms: the pen is mightier than the sword

  2. An individual's actions indicate their true sentiments more reliably than their claims do.

Synonyms & antonyms

proverbIt is more effective to act directly than to speak of action.

Opposite
the pen is mightier than the sword

Translations

Arabic الْأَعْمَال أَعْلَى صَوْتًا مِن الْكَلِمَات
  • الْأَعْمَال أَعْلَى صَوْتًا مِن الْكَلِمَات (al-ʔaʕmāl ʔaʕlā ṣawtan min al-kalimāt)it is more effective to act than speak
Chinese Mandarin 行勝於言 /行胜于言, 行比說聲 /行比说声
  • 行勝於言 /行胜于言 (xíng shèng yú yán)it is more effective to act than speak
  • 行比說聲 /行比说声 (xíng bǐ shuō shēng)it is more effective to act than speak
  • 事實勝於雄辯 /事实胜于雄辩 (shìshí shèng yú xióngbiàn)it is more effective to act than speak
  • 行動勝於空談 /行动胜于空谈 (xíngdòng shèngyú kōngtán)it is more effective to act than speak
  • 行動勝於言語 /行动胜于言语 (xíngdòng shèngyú yányǔ)actions indicate true sentiments
  • 事實勝於雄辯 /事实胜于雄辩 (shìshí shèngyú xióngbiàn)actions indicate true sentiments
Dutch geen woorden maar daden, daden zeggen meer dan woorden
  • geen woorden maar dadenit is more effective to act than speak
  • daden zeggen meer dan woordenit is more effective to act than speak
  • niet lullen maar poetsenit is more effective to act than speak
  • daden zeggen meer dan woordenactions indicate true sentiments
Finnish teot puhuvat enemmän kuin sanat, teot puhuvat enemmän kuin sanat
  • teot puhuvat enemmän kuin sanatit is more effective to act than speak
  • teot puhuvat enemmän kuin sanatactions indicate true sentiments
French bien faire vaut mieux que bien dire
  • bien faire vaut mieux que bien direit is more effective to act than speak
German Taten statt Worte, Nägel mit Köpfen machen
  • Taten statt Worteit is more effective to act than speak
  • Nägel mit Köpfen machenit is more effective to act than speak
  • Taten sagen mehr als Worteit is more effective to act than speak
  • Taten sagen mehr als Worteactions indicate true sentiments
  • an ihren Taten sollt ihr sie erkennenactions indicate true sentiments
Hindi काम बोलता है, कथनी से करनी भली
  • काम बोलता है (kām boltā hai)it is more effective to act than speak
  • कथनी से करनी भली (kathani se karni bhali)actions indicate true sentiments
Hungarian a tett harsányabb a szónál, a tettek minden szónál ékesebben beszélnek
  • a tett harsányabb a szónálit is more effective to act than speak
  • a tettek minden szónál ékesebben beszélnekit is more effective to act than speak
Indonesian pangsa menunjukkan bangsa
  • pangsa menunjukkan bangsaactions indicate true sentiments
Italian a parole siamo tutti bravi, a parole so' bravo anch'io
  • a parole siamo tutti braviit is more effective to act than speak
  • a parole so' bravo anch'ioit is more effective to act than speak
Japanese 不言実行
  • 不言実行 (fugenjikkō)it is more effective to act than speak
Korean 불언실행
  • 불언실행 (bureonsilhaeng)it is more effective to act than speak
Latin rēs, nōn verba, ācta, nōn verba
  • rēs, nōn verbait is more effective to act than speak
  • ācta, nōn verbait is more effective to act than speak
Polish czyny mówią głośniej niż słowa, czyny mówią głośniej niż słowa
  • czyny mówią głośniej niż słowait is more effective to act than speak
  • czyny mówią głośniej niż słowaactions indicate true sentiments
Portuguese ações falam mais alto que palavras, ações falam mais alto que palavras
  • ações falam mais alto que palavrasit is more effective to act than speak
  • ações falam mais alto que palavrasactions indicate true sentiments
Scottish Gaelic beul a labhras ach gnìomh a dhearbhas, beul a labhras ach cridhe a dhearbhas
  • beul a labhras ach gnìomh a dhearbhasactions indicate true sentiments
  • beul a labhras ach cridhe a dhearbhasactions indicate true sentiments
Spanish obras son amores, que no buenas razones, por sus frutos los conoceréis
  • obras son amores, que no buenas razonesit is more effective to act than speak
  • por sus frutos los conoceréisactions indicate true sentiments
  • el movimiento se demuestra andandoactions indicate true sentiments
Turkish lafla peynir gemisi yürümez, ayinesi iştir kişinin, lafa bakılmaz
  • lafla peynir gemisi yürümezit is more effective to act than speak
  • ayinesi iştir kişinin, lafa bakılmazit is more effective to act than speak
Vietnamese hành động có giá trị hơn lời nói, hành động nói lên tất cả
  • hành động có giá trị hơn lời nóiit is more effective to act than speak
  • hành động nói lên tất cảit is more effective to act than speak
Cite this entry
APA

actions speak louder than words. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/actions%20speak%20louder%20than%20words

MLA

“actions speak louder than words.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/actions%20speak%20louder%20than%20words. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “actions speak louder than words,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/actions%20speak%20louder%20than%20words.

Source: actions speak louder than words on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.