Meanings
alternative talk softly and carry a big stick · alternative walk softly and carry a big stick
- Do not boast or utter verbal threats, but do make others aware that you are prepared to use physical or military force if necessary.
There is a homely old adage which runs: "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."
1903 April 3, Theodore Roosevelt, President Roosevelt's Speech on the Monroe Doctrine," Arizona Journal-Miner, p. 4 (retrieved 19 Dec 2011)2 more examples
Under any governmental auspices, as the modern world knows governments, the keeping of the peace comes at its best under the precept, "Speak softly and carry a big stick."
1917, Thorstein Veblen, The Nature of Peace, IntroductoryWhen it comes to China, we have gone from "Speak softly and carry a big stick" to "Take the fifth and carry a toothpick". (from a Congressional speech by Rep. James Traficant, June 22, 1998)
1999 January 17, Tom Kuntz, “Word for Word/Representative James A. Traficant Jr.”, in New York Times, retrieved 19 Dec 2011
Origin
Popularized by and often attributed to U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) as an expression of his view of foreign policy, possibly of earlier, West African origin according to his account, but with a probability of he himself having coined it. The full version is “speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.”
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek ὃν οὐ τύπτει λόγος, τύπτει ῥάβδος
- ὃν οὐ τύπτει λόγος, τύπτει ῥάβδος (hòn ou túptei lógos, túptei rhábdos)do not boast but do make others aware that you are prepared to use force
Chinese Mandarin 溫言在口，大棒在手 /温言在口, 大棒在手
- 溫言在口，大棒在手 /温言在口do not boast but do make others aware that you are prepared to use force
- 大棒在手 (wēnyán zài kǒu, dàbàng zài shǒu)do not boast but do make others aware that you are prepared to use force
Greek όπου δεν τύπτει λόγος τύπτει ράβδος
- όπου δεν τύπτει λόγος τύπτει ράβδος (ópou den týptei lógos týptei rávdos)do not boast but do make others aware that you are prepared to use force
Latin post verba verbera
- post verba verberado not boast but do make others aware that you are prepared to use force
Cite this entry
speak softly and carry a big stick. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/speak%20softly%20and%20carry%20a%20big%20stick
“speak softly and carry a big stick.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/speak%20softly%20and%20carry%20a%20big%20stick. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “speak softly and carry a big stick,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/speak%20softly%20and%20carry%20a%20big%20stick.
Source: speak softly and carry a big stick on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.