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Fear


Fear

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Quotations

Winston ChurchillFear is a reaction. Courage is a decision.

—  Winston Churchill, 1874-1965, British Prime Minister, Nobel 1953

21 likes
Bertrand RussellFear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.

—  Bertrand Russell, 1872-1970, British philosopher

18 likes
Margaret AtwoodThe fabric of democracy is always fragile everywhere because it depends on the will of citizens to protect it, and when they become scared, when it becomes dangerous for them to defend it, it can go very quickly.

—  Margaret Atwood, 1939 -, Canadian writer

16 likes
Zig ZiglarF-E-A-R has two meanings: 'Forget Everything And Run' or 'Face Everything And Rise.' The choice is yours.

—  Zig Ziglar, 1926-2012, American self-help writer

15 likes
Gabriel Garcia MarquezI don't believe in God, but I'm afraid of Him.

—  Gabriel Garcia Marquez, 1927-2014, Colombian writer

13 likes
Eric HofferYou can discover what your enemy fears most by observing the means he uses to frighten you.

—  Eric Hoffer, 1902-1983, American writer & philosopher

13 likes
Stanislaw Jerzy LecEvery scarecrow has a secret ambition to terrorize.

—  Stanislaw Jerzy Lec, 1906-1966, Polish author of maxims

13 likes
Will DurantThe trouble with most people is that they think with their hopes or fears or wishes rather than with their minds.

—  Will Durant, 1885-1981, American historian & philosopher

12 likes
Honoré de BalzacOur greatest fears lie in anticipation.

—  Honoré de Balzac, 1799-1850, French writer

12 likes
John KennedyLet us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.

—  John Kennedy, 1917-1963, American President [1961-1963]

10 likes
Elbert HubbardThe greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.

—  Elbert Hubbard, 1856-1915, American writer

10 likes
Cyril ConnollyHate is the consequence of fear; we fear something before we hate; a child who fears noises becomes the man who hates them.

—  Cyril Connolly, 1903-1974, British writer

9 likes
NapoleonMen are moved by two levers only: fear and self interest.

—  Napoleon, 1769-1821, French Emperor

9 likes
NapoleonHe who fears being conquered is certain of defeat.

—  Napoleon, 1769-1821, French Emperor

9 likes
Mark TwainCourage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear.

—  Mark Twain, 1835-1910, American writer

9 likes
Marlen DietrichOne should be afraid of life, not of death.

—  Marlen Dietrich, 1901-1992, German-American actress

9 likes
Arthur ClarkeReligion is a byproduct of fear.

—  Arthur Clarke, 1917-2008, British Sci-Fi writer

8 likes
Michel de MontaigneHe who fears he will suffer, already suffers because of his fear.

—  Michel de Montaigne, 1533-1592, French thinker

8 likes
Jean-Paul SartreYou must be afraid, my son. That is how one becomes an honest citizen.

—  Jean-Paul Sartre, 1905-1980, French philosopher

8 likes
T. S. EliotI will show you fear in a handful of dust.

—  T. S. Eliot, 1888-1965, British poet, Nobel 1948

7 likes
Eleanor RooseveltYou gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.

—  Eleanor Roosevelt, 1884-1962, Wife of the 32nd USA president

6 likes
Niccolò MachiavelliPerhaps we should wish to be both feared and loved: but since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose, it is far safer to be feared than loved.

—  Niccolò Machiavelli, 1469-1527, Italian political philosopher

6 likes
Jules RenardPrudence is a euphemism for fear.

—  Jules Renard, 1864-1910, French writer

6 likes
Winston ChurchillAn appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.

—  Winston Churchill, 1874-1965, British Prime Minister, Nobel 1953

5 likes
Sylvia PlathI am terrified by this dark thing that sleeps in me.

—  Sylvia Plath, 1932-1963, American poet & writer

5 likes
Frank SinatraThe big lesson in life, baby, is never be scared of anyone or anything.

—  Frank Sinatra, 1915-1998, American singer

5 likes
William ShakespeareOf all base passions, fear is the most accursed.

—  William Shakespeare, 1564-1616, English poet & playwright ‐ Henry IV

5 likes
OvidI am a shipwrecked man who fears every sea.

—  Ovid, 43 BC-17 AD, Roman poet

5 likes
Aleister CrowleyFalsehood is invariably the child of fear in one form or another.

—  Aleister Crowley, 1875-1945, British magician & occultist,

5 likes
Mark TwainThe fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.

—  Mark Twain, 1835-1910, American writer

4 likes
Samuel JohnsonShame arises from the fear of men, conscience from the fear of God.

—  Samuel Johnson, 1709-1784, English writer

4 likes
Ferdinand FochNone but a coward dares to boast that he has never known fear.

—  Ferdinand Foch, 1851-1929, French field marshal

4 likes
Frank TygerFear fades when facts are faced.

—  Frank Tyger, 1929-2011, American cartoonist

4 likes
Franklin RooseveltThe only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

—  Franklin Roosevelt, 1882-1945, American President [1936-1945]

4 likes
Graham GreeneHate is an automatic response to fear, for fear humiliates.

—  Graham Greene, 1904-1991, British writer

4 likes
Winston ChurchillWhy, you may take the most gallant sailor, the most intrepid airman or the most audacious soldier, put them at a table together-- what do you get? The sum of their fears.

—  Winston Churchill, 1874-1965, British Prime Minister, Nobel 1953

4 likes
Chuck YeagerWhat good does it do to be afraid? It doesn’t help anything. You better try and figure out what’s happening and correct it.

—  Chuck Yeager, 1923-2020, American pioneer pilot

4 likes
Julia ChildThe only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude.

—  Julia Child, 1912-2004, American chef, author & TV personality.

3 likes
Emile M. CioranWe are afraid of the enormity of the possible.

—  Emile M. Cioran, 1911-1995, French-Romanian philosopher

3 likes
Duc de LevisFear and hope share life; pleasure and pain occupy only moments.

—  Duc de Levis, 1764-1830, French politician & author of maxims

3 likes
Francis BaconHe of whom many are afraid ought to fear many.

—  Francis Bacon, 1561-1626, English philosopher

3 likes
Elbert HubbardI believe there is no devil but fear.

—  Elbert Hubbard, 1856-1915, American writer

3 likes
Publilius SyrusAudacity augments courage; hesitation, fear.

—  Publilius Syrus, 1st cent. AD, Roman author of maxims

3 likes
Samuel Taylor ColeridgeIn politics, what begins in fear usually ends in folly.

—  Samuel Taylor Coleridge, 1772-1834, English poet & philosopher

3 likes
Emile M. CioranIn our fear, we are victims of an aggression of the Future.

—  Emile M. Cioran, 1911-1995, French-Romanian philosopher

2 likes
Thomas FullerHe that fears you present will hate you absent.

—  Thomas Fuller, 1608-1661, English thinker

2 likes
Michel de MontaigneThe thing I fear most is fear.

—  Michel de Montaigne, 1533-1592, French thinker

2 likes
Niccolò MachiavelliMen are driven by two principal impulses, either by love or by fear.

—  Niccolò Machiavelli, 1469-1527, Italian political philosopher

2 likes
Aristotle OnassisNever start a job, a battle, or a relationship, if the fear of losing overshadows the prospect of success.

—  Aristotle Onassis, 1900-1975, Greek tycoon

2 likes
La RochefoucauldWe promise according to our hopes; we fulfil according to our fears.

—  La Rochefoucauld, 1613-1680, French writer

2 likes
Jean AnouilhAn ugly sight, a man who is afraid.

—  Jean Anouilh, 1910-1987, French playwright

2 likes
Martin Luther KingWe must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.

—  Martin Luther King, 1929-1968, American leader in the Civil Rights Movement

2 likes
André GideThere are very few monsters who warrant the fear we have of them.

—  André Gide, 1869-1951, French writer, Nobel 1947

2 likes
Victor FranklUntil now we were afraid; from now on we will hope.

—  Victor Frankl, 1905-1997, Austrian neurologist

     (to his wife when he was arrested by the Nazis)

2 likes
ThucydidesNow the only sure basis of an alliance is for each party to be equally afraid of the other.

—  Thucydides, 460-394 BC, Ancient Greek historian

2 likes
Agatha ChristieFear is incomplete knowledge.

—  Agatha Christie, 1890-1976, British writer

1 likes
StendhalAll religions are founded on the fear of the many and the intelligence of the few.

—  Stendhal, 1783-1842, French writer

1 likes
John SteinbeckPower does not corrupt. Fear corrupts... perhaps the fear of a loss of power.

—  John Steinbeck, 1902-1968, American writer, Nobel 1962

Thomas CarlyleThe first duty of man is to conquer fear; he must get rid of it, he cannot act till then.

—  Thomas Carlyle, 1795-1881, English writer

Thomas CarlyleOf all your troubles, great and small, the greatest are the ones that don't happen at all.

—  Thomas Carlyle, 1795-1881, English writer

Gertrude SteinNothing is really so very frightening when everything is so very dangerous.

—  Gertrude Stein, 1874-1946, American writer

Thomas HobbesFor there is no such thing as perpetual Tranquility of mind, while we live here; because Life itself is but Motion, and can never be without Desire, nor without Fear, no more than without Sense.

—  Thomas Hobbes, 1588-1679, English philosopher

Giordano BrunoMaybe you who condemn me are in greater fear than I who am condemned.

—  Giordano Bruno, 1548-1600, Italian monk & philosopher

Nikos KazantzakisIf you can look at the fear straight in the eye, the fear will be scared and will go away.

—  Nikos Kazantzakis, 1883-1957, Greek writer

Nikos KazantzakisI hope for nothing. I am afraid of nothing. I am free.

—  Nikos Kazantzakis, 1883-1957, Greek writer

     (inscription on his grave)

Joseph JoubertFear is in the imagination, cowardice in character.

—  Joseph Joubert, 1754-1824, French author of maxims

Joseph JoubertAll passions love what feeds them. Fear loves the idea of ​​danger.

—  Joseph Joubert, 1754-1824, French author of maxims

Honoré de BalzacNoble hearts are neither jealous nor afraid because jealousy spells doubt and fear spells pettiness.

—  Honoré de Balzac, 1799-1850, French writer

Jean RostandMorality is what is left of fear when you forget it.

—  Jean Rostand, 1894-1977, French scientist & philosopher

Rainer Maria RilkeOur deepest fears are like dragons, guarding our deepest treasure.

—  Rainer Maria Rilke, 1875-1926, Czech-German poet

Rainer Maria RilkePerhaps all the dragons in our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us act, just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love.

—  Rainer Maria Rilke, 1875-1926, Czech-German poet

Rudyard KiplingOf all the liars in the world, sometimes the worst are our own fears.

—  Rudyard Kipling, 1865-1936, English writer, Nobel 1907

Terry PratchettEven our fears make us feel important, because we fear we might not be.

—  Terry Pratchett, 1948-2015, British writer

William FaulknerBe scared. You can't help that. But don’t be afraid. Ain’t nothing in the woods going to hurt you unless you corner it, or it smells that you are afraid.

—  William Faulkner, 1897-1962, American writer, Nobel 1949

Theodore AdornoIf fear and destructiveness are the major emotional sources of fascism, eros belongs mainly to democracy.

—  Theodore Adorno, 1903-1969, German philosopher

Noam ChomskyThe more you can increase fear of drugs and crime, welfare mothers, immigrants and aliens, the more you control all the people.

—  Noam Chomsky, 1928-, American linguist, philosopher, social activist

Joseph CampbellThe very cave you are afraid to enter turns out to be the source of what you are looking for. The damned thing in the cave that was so dreaded has become the center.

—  Joseph Campbell, 1904-1987, American academic

W.H. AudenThose who hate to go to bed fear death; those who hate to get up fear life.

—  W.H. Auden, 1907-1973, British poet

Robert Louis StevensonTo be feared of a thing and yet to do it, is what makes the prettiest kind of a man.

—  Robert Louis Stevenson, 1850-1894, Scottish writer

Robert Louis StevensonKeep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others.

—  Robert Louis Stevenson, 1850-1894, Scottish writer

SophoclesA fearful man is always hearing things.

—  Sophocles, 496-406 BC, Ancient tragic poet

Erica JongI have lived my life according to this principle: If I'm afraid of it, then I must do it.

—  Erica Jong, 1942-, American writer

Erica JongAlways do the things you fear the most. Courage is an acquired taste, like caviar.

—  Erica Jong, 1942-, American writer

Erica JongI have accepted fear as part of life – specifically the fear of change... I have gone ahead despite the pounding in the heart that says: turn back....

—  Erica Jong, 1942-, American writer

Arthur KoestlerCourage is never to let your actions be influenced by your fears.

—  Arthur Koestler, 1905-1983, Hungarian-British writer

Ashleigh BrilliantThe things I fear may all be imaginary,
so what I fear most is my imagination.

—  Ashleigh Brilliant, 1933-, British cartoonist & epigrammatist

Jules VerneIf there were no thunder, men would have little fear of lightning.

—  Jules Verne, 1826-1905, French writer

Dale CarnegieIf you want to conquer fear, don't sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.

—  Dale Carnegie, 1888-1955, American self-help writer

Dale CarnegieFace the thing that seems overwhelming and you will be surprised how your fear will melt away.

—  Dale Carnegie, 1888-1955, American self-help writer

Dale CarnegieFear doesn't exist anywhere except in the mind.

—  Dale Carnegie, 1888-1955, American self-help writer

Dale CarnegieFear is the result of a lack of confidence. A lack of confidence is the result of not knowing what you can do. A lack of knowing what you can do is caused by a lack of experience. A lack of experience is caused by a lack of doing something new.

—  Dale Carnegie, 1888-1955, American self-help writer

Stephen KingNobody likes a clown at midnight.

—  Stephen King, 1947-, American author of horror & fantasy fiction

Edgar Allan PoeThe scariest monsters are the ones that lurk within our souls.

—  Edgar Allan Poe, 1809-1849, American writer

Frank HerbertFace your fears or they will climb over your back.

—  Frank Herbert, 1920-1986, American sci-fi writer

Arthur Conan DoyleWhere there is no imagination, there is no horror.

—  Arthur Conan Doyle, 1859-1930, British writer

François-René de ChateaubriandMan has only one real evil: the fear of death. Deliver him from this fear and you will set him free.

—  François-René de Chateaubriand, 1768-1848, French poet & politician

Susan SontagAuthoritarian political ideologies have a vested interest in promoting fear, a sense of the imminence of takeover by aliens and real diseases are useful material.

—  Susan Sontag, 1933-2004, American writer, critic, activist

Joseph ConradNecessity, they say, is mother of invention, but fear, too, is not barren of ingenious suggestions.

—  Joseph Conrad, 1857-1924, British-Polish writer

Joseph ConradPerhaps life is just that... a dream and a fear.

—  Joseph Conrad, 1857-1924, British-Polish writer

Latin Quotes

CaligulaLet them hate, as long as they fear.

Oderint, dum metuant.

—  Caligula, 12-41 AD, Roman Emperor

     (originally a verse by the poet Accius)

169 likes
SenecaThe cause of fear is ignorance.

Timendi causa est nescire.

—  Seneca, 5 AD-65 AD, Roman philosopher

82 likes
Latin phraseHannibal at the gates.

Hannibal ad portas.

—  Latin phrase

     (Roman alert when Hannibal was approaching to Rome, around 217 BC)

34 likes

Funny Quotes

Steven WrightA lot of people are afraid of heights; not me, I'm afraid of widths.

—  Steven Wright, 1955-, American comedian

4 likes

Ancient Greek

SocratesKids are afraid of thunders and idiots are afraid of threats.

Αι μεν βρονταί τους παίδας, αι δε απειλαί τους άφρονας καταπλήττουσι.

—  Socrates, 469-399 BC, Ancient Geek Philosopher

24 likes
AristotleNo one likes one whom he fears.

Ουδείς γαρ ον φοβείται φιλεί.

—  Aristotle, 384-322 BC, Ancient Greek philosopher

8 likes
DemocritusFear uses flattery without getting any favors.

Φόβος κολακείην μεν εργάζεται, εύνοιαν δε ουκ έχει.

—  Democritus, 470-370 BC, Ancient Greek philosopher

6 likes
AeschylusSometimes fear is a good thing.

Έσθ’ όπου το δεινόν εύ.

—  Aeschylus, 525-456 BC, Ancient Greek tragedian ‐ Eumenides

5 likes

Movie Quotes

Gaslight (1944)I haven't been afraid since I've known you.

—  from the film Gaslight (1944)

7 likes
Star Wars-The Phantom Menace (1999)Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.

—  from the film Star Wars-The Phantom Menace (1999)

2 likes



Similar categories & topics of Quotations






Similar Topics

Cowardice

Shame

Reluctance

Anxiety

Quitting

Guilt

Submission

Despair

Running away

Timidity

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Willpower

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Audacity

Aggressiveness

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