Meanings
alternative sticks and stones · alternative sticks and stones may break my bones · alternative sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me · alternative sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me · alternative sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me
- idiomaticA response to taunting proclaiming the speaker's indifference.
Synonyms: the pen is mightier than the sword · Antonyms: the tongue wounds more than a lance
Synonyms & antonyms
phraseA response to taunting proclaiming the speaker's indifference.
Origin
The earliest recording dates from March 1862 in the US, but is implied to have been used earlier.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish ei haukku haavaa tee, joka toista haukkuu, sen napa paukkuu
- ei haukku haavaa teea response to taunting proclaiming the speaker's indifference
- joka toista haukkuu, sen napa paukkuua response to taunting proclaiming the speaker's indifference
French la bave du crapaud n'atteint pas la blanche colombe
- la bave du crapaud n'atteint pas la blanche colombea response to taunting proclaiming the speaker's indifference
German was kümmert's die Eiche wenn die Sau dran schabt
- was kümmert's die Eiche wenn die Sau dran schabta response to taunting proclaiming the speaker's indifference
Hindi लाठी और पत्थर मेरी हड्डियों को तोड़ सकते हैं, लेकिन शब्द मुझे कभी चोट नहीं देंगे
- लाठी और पत्थर मेरी हड्डियों को तोड़ सकते हैं, लेकिन शब्द मुझे कभी चोट नहीं देंगे (lāṭhī aur patthar merī haḍḍiyõ ko toṛ sakte ha͠i, lekin śabd mujhe kabhī coṭ nahī̃ deṅge)a response to taunting proclaiming the speaker's indifference
Polish kije i kamienie kości mi połamią, ale słowa nigdy mnie nie zranią
- kije i kamienie kości mi połamią, ale słowa nigdy mnie nie zraniąa response to taunting proclaiming the speaker's indifference
Romanian câinii latră, ursul merge, nu mor caii când vor câinii
- câinii latră, ursul mergea response to taunting proclaiming the speaker's indifference
- nu mor caii când vor câiniia response to taunting proclaiming the speaker's indifference
Russian хоть горшко́м назови́, то́лько в пе́чку не ставь
- хоть горшко́м назови́, то́лько в пе́чку не ставь (xotʹ gorškóm nazoví, tólʹko v péčku ne stavʹ)a response to taunting proclaiming the speaker's indifference
Spanish a palabras necias, oídos sordos
- a palabras necias, oídos sordosa response to taunting proclaiming the speaker's indifference
Cite this entry
sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sticks%20and%20stones%20may%20break%20my%20bones%2C%20but%20words%20will%20never%20hurt%20me
“sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sticks%20and%20stones%20may%20break%20my%20bones%2C%20but%20words%20will%20never%20hurt%20me. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sticks%20and%20stones%20may%20break%20my%20bones%2C%20but%20words%20will%20never%20hurt%20me.
Source: sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.