Quotations with a sense of humor: witty words from great figures that make you chuckle.
Things that give us the strength to keep going, things that help us get back up when we’ve stumbled.
When we think of famous quotes, we often imagine powerful, rousing words like these—but some are full of humor, too.
In this article, we’ll introduce memorable quotes with a sense of humor.
Because they come from great figures who have experienced the bitter and the sweet of life, these amusing words can give you courage and lift your spirits in a way that’s different from straightforward pep talks.
If you want a little laugh and a boost of energy, be sure to check them out!
- Witty quotes that make you chuckle without thinking
- Witty quotes by great figures and celebrities where wordplay shines even in brevity
- The magical power of words that make people laugh! A collection of quotes that lighten the heart
- Witty one-liners that pierce the heart: a collection of brief yet profoundly meaningful maxims
- Healed in a single word… Words that blow away negative feelings and bring a smile.
- From surprising to cynical! Funny one-liners that make you laugh
- Quotes from great figures that give us the power to live
- Words to remember when you feel like running away—phrases to rally a weakened heart.
- Powerful words give you a push! Words that help you try even harder than before.
- A list of comforting words to soothe a tired heart: giving you the strength to face tomorrow
- Short, heart-stirring words of encouragement! Courageous quotes that push you to take a step toward tomorrow.
- Just remembering them fills you with courage! Striking quotes that touch the heart from great figures and famous people
- Gives you the power to face challenges! Inspiring words of courage from great and famous people.
Witty quotes: chuckle-worthy words from great figures (1–10)
Everyone thinks; only intellectuals brag about it.Simone de Beauvoir
Simone de Beauvoir, the French philosopher and novelist known for works such as The Second Sex and The Mandarins, is also famous for her activity as an existentialist.
Maybe it existed in the past as well, but even today people sometimes try to one-up others.
Many of us are tired of unsolicited bragging and being pressed for agreement with a “Isn’t that great?” In such moments, her perspective may prove useful.
Her words serve as both social wisdom and a personal reminder.
We can’t entrust the helm of the nation to someone who isn’t prepared to eat cold rice.NEW!Tarō Asō
It speaks directly to the gravity of power and position.
To “eat cold rice” is to accept a period of being unrecognized or to face headwinds.
Those who steer a nation must endure not only praise but also criticism and loneliness.
It confronts us with the harsh reality that one cannot serve with the resolve to step forward only when convenient and withdraw in difficult moments.
It shows that responsibility entails sacrifice and questions the quality of one’s resolve.
It also teaches that a stance that leaves no escape route is what earns trust.
This is a stern maxim that sets the conditions for those who take on heavy responsibility.
Friendship is a contract in which you do someone a small kindness and expect a great kindness in return.Charles de Montesquieu
The person who took a sardonic stance on friendship was the French philosopher Charles de Montesquieu, with this remark.
Many might think that one should treat friends kindly without expecting anything in return.
But this quote says the opposite: that friendship is only truly nurtured when there is reciprocity.
It may sound rather dry—cold, even, as if it lacks blood and tears.
Still, even if not everyone feels this way, perhaps some people do approach a few of their friends with such a mindset.
When you find yourself wondering, “What is friendship, anyway?” try laughing it off with this saying.
Witty quotes: chuckle-worthy words from great figures (11–20)
Alcohol doesn’t ruin people. It simply teaches us that humans were hopeless to begin with.Danshi Tatekawa
Some adults may have had experiences of messing up because of alcohol.
At such times, we tend to say it was because of the drink—but is that really true? Danshi Tatekawa, who had many disciples and left a major legacy in the rakugo world, argued that the problem lies not with alcohol but with the person.
It’s not that alcohol makes you fail; rather, drinking simply reveals that you were the kind of person likely to fail to begin with.
When people drink, their true nature can show, right? These words are essentially saying exactly that.
Because alcohol brings out one’s true colors, what is exposed in that moment is who the person really is.
People who aren’t very smart criticize anything they don’t understand.François de La Rochefoucauld
It may be in our immediate reaction when faced with something we cannot understand that the true character hidden deep within us is revealed.
From this way of confronting the incomprehensible comes a saying by François de La Rochefoucauld, a French nobleman and man of letters, that sees through to the essence.
He expresses that those who belittle what they cannot understand are not wise, while those who strive to understand or to accept it are the truly wise.
It’s a quote that invites us to reflect on how we face what lies beyond our understanding.
If you smile, you’ll make friends. If you frown, you’ll make wrinkles.George Eliot
George Eliot, a British writer and a leading figure of the Victorian era, is also noted for her psychological portrayals.
This famous quote, in which the great author lightly expresses what keeping a smile can lead to, conveys first and foremost that making an effort to smile at those around you leads to being trusted and gaining more friends.
By contrast, she humorously illustrates through juxtaposition that if you keep scowling, it results only in wrinkles on your face and brings you nothing to gain.
The length of a movie should be directly tied to how long a person’s bladder can hold out.Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock, who was active as a film director in the United Kingdom, was also called the master of suspense for his unique style.
Here is a famous, comical quote by this great filmmaker, who had a profound influence on later cinema, about the proper length of a movie.
He argues that if a film is long enough to make people get up in the middle, it fails as a work; it should be short enough to keep audiences watching to the end.
He illustrates this idea by humorously comparing it to the need to urinate—something one would try to hold in.
Though the wording gives a comedic impression, the quote addresses an important question in filmmaking: how long is truly appropriate?