A friend is like a second self.
Aristotle
How is it that we can love and depend on someone outside of our family as we do our friends? Great thinkers throughout time have pondered that question, as the quote above proves. Their metaphysical beliefs aside, quotes to describe friendship distil the essence of companionship, trust, and shared experiences into short, memorable phrases that touch our hearts. Whether you're seeking inspiration, humour, or quotes about a fake friend, the following sayings offer timeless reflections on the joy of friendship.
| 🤗 Fast friendship quips to use today | 🎩 Attributions |
|---|---|
| A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you. | Albert Hubbard |
| Laughter is the shortest distance between two friends. | Victor Borge |
| A true friend is the one who sees the pain in your eyes while everyone else believes the smile on your face. | Anonymous |
| Life's journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles. | Tim Cahill |
| Friendship is born out of shared laughter. | Friedrich Nietzsche |
| A friend is someone who makes you laugh even when you think you'll never smile again. | Anonymous |
| Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together. | Woodrow Wilson |
| A true friend is not just there for a season; they are there for every reason. | Anonymous |
Famous Friendship Quotes
This wonderful world we live in is full of different cultures, beliefs, and norms. Isn't it remarkable, then, that the standards people around the world define friendship by are so consistent? Kindness, sharing, support, and understanding are key friendship ingredients, no matter where in the world you are. These renowned quotes about true friends reflect those values.
It's the friends you can call up at 4 a.m. that matter.
Marlene Dietrich
Marlene's famous words emphasise that friendship is all about reliability. We need our friends to be available around the clock and, in return, we agree to be available to them when they need us. Unfortunately, Ms Dietrich jealously guarded her private life, so determining which friend or situation provoked this thought is lost to history.
The language of friendship is not words, but meanings.
David Henry Thoreau
This American philosopher included this line in his work, 'A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers'. It emphasises the qualities listed above that true friendship relies on, dismissing 'friendship words' as so much window dressing. A lifelong lover of the natural world, Thoreau worked hard to support ecological ventures. So, it's not surprising he would highlight the conditions that support friendship, rather than the notion of friendship.
A friend to all is a friend to none.
Aristotle
This Greek philosopher spent a lot of time pondering human relationships. He concluded that people who ingratiate themselves to everyone must not have any sense of loyalty. How can a person busily selling themselves to the whole of society have any energy to devote to one person?
Short Quotes About True Friends
In the social media age, short and memorable are what get the likes. Whether you Insta or Tiktok - or both, these quotes about the life you live and times you share with your friends are sure to make your posts go viral.
No friendship is an accident.
O. Henry
This American author has quite the biography. Among his many noteworthy CV entries was his friendship with a former bank robber who later became a silent film actor. That bank robber hid him from the law; that's when O. Henry wrote his first major work. As such, he's uniquely qualified to describe and define friendship.
1. He coined the term 'banana republic' while on the run from the law.
2. He ultimately spent three years in prison (for embezzlement), where he published 14 stories.
3. The O. Henry Award is named after one of his pseudonyms.
In ways big and small, the author we know as O. Henry was apparently a scoundrel. But he must have been a romantic at heart (despite his second wife leaving him after two years); he gave us 'The Gift of the Magi'.
Good friends are like stars.
Several attributions
This popular friendship quote goes on with "You don't always see them, but you know they're always there." The contemporary writer Christy Evans often gets the credit for this saying, but similar phrases emerged 175 years ago. For instance, the poet Mary Ann H. Dodd wrote a remarkably similar phrase in her 1850 essay, Evening Visions.
A good friend is like a four-leaf clover; hard to find and lucky to have.
Irish proverb
Millennia of civilisation, and plenty of hardship along the way, have given Irish folk plenty of occasions to build wisdom. This gem projects the rarity of the legendary shamrock, a uniquely Irish symbol, onto the scarcity and value of true friendship.
Inspirational Quotes About True Friends
Even the slightest reflection on the concept of friendship reveals it to be inspirational1. A true friend is there in times of grief and subsequent healing, not just for all the fun, memorable times you share. These sayings represent the awe-inspiring phenomenon we call friendship.
Friends are the siblings God never gave us.
Mencius
This Chinese Confucian scholar walked the Earth during his country's Warring States Period. He dispensed wisdom to various rulers and, along the way, had occasion to witness friendship's awesome deeds. Not just in power circles - rulers giving favoured positions to loyal friends, but in the tenderness of people caring for one another in hard times.
Friendship marks a life even more deeply than love.
Elie Wiesel
Despite the many quotes eulogising romantic love, that emotion is a transient thing. Romance fades and couples break up, but the emotions that underpin friendship are forever, even if the friendship drifts apart. That's the take this Romanian-born writer stood firm on.
Deep Friendship Quotes
Shared solitude is one of the most remarkable qualities of deep friendship. The hallmark of such a relationship is when just being in each other's company is enough. Picture long-married couples who've made the most of their time together, sitting quietly while each reads their own book. That's the type of friendship these quotes represent.
Friendship is a unique remedy against adversity, and it soothes the soul.
Baltasar Gracián
This Spanish philosopher and priest helped shape Baroque-era sensibilities with his philosophical studies and teachings. He wrote in a style that was both witty and concise, making his lessons easy to digest3.
Gracián's philosophical writings influenced later thinkers like Schopenhauer and Nietzsche.
One of his most popular works, The Art of Worldly Wisdom, is a collection of 300 quotes. Written in his inimitable style, this tome gives you a witty quote to help you face each day.
The highest task of friendship is that each shall stand guard over the solitude of the other.
Rainer Maria Rilke
This Austrian poet wove his idiosyncrasies into his writings. He was consumed with both the detail and the mysticism of the subjects he wrote about, making them particularly pointed. He suffered greatly in childhood and spent his life rambling across Europe, making few permanent attachments. Though he married well and enjoyed several friendships, it seems that he preferred his solitude.
Humorous Quotes About Friends
Many people prefer to approach the most important life aspects with humour, this writer included. Friendship, being among the most profound of human experiences, has plenty of room for humorous expressions. Unlike the serious, touching sayings that motivate and inspire us, these funny friendship quotes fit your need to laugh with your friends.
Good friends offer a shoulder when you need to cry. Best friends are there with a shovel to bury the body.
Unknown
We found several variations of this theme and several attributions, but the (apparently) original quip's author is lost to history. It tells us that only the closest of friendships can withstand the deepest secrets. But, for pity's sake, please don't go 'round slaying and burying bodies of past friends!
Friends come and go, like the waves of the ocean, but the true ones stick around like an octopus on your face.
Attributed to Nidhi Hallikeri
This Indian content creator posted this quip on her Storymirror page, but a deeper search reveals uncertain authorship of this quote. It brings to mind that iconic Alien film scene where the baby alien attaches itself to a crew member's face, suffocating him. We're certain that nobody is suggesting you suffocate your friends, but clinging tightly to them is a nice idea.
Real friends don’t get offended when you insult them. They smile and call you something even more offensive.
Anonymous
For some, the idea of trading insults signals the very opposite of friendship, but it all comes down to attitude. Finger-wagging, shouting, and knit brows make such insults a prelude to a fight. This saying insists that a friend will smile before they launch an even graver insult. No one has claimed authorship of this quote; perhaps they're too busy cursing their friends to do so!
Quotes About a Fake Friend
Social media and gossip mags are full of celebrity feuds between former besties. Whether publicity stunts or actual bad feelings publicly aired, they prove that not all friendships last a lifetime. What can you say to someone who betrayed your trust? Some of the world's all-time best quotes address that topic.
A true friend stabs you in the front.
Oscar Wilde
Backstabbing is the lowest of low tactics; cowards don't want to look their victims in the eye as they harm you. This much-maligned Irish writer had plenty to say about snitches and backstabbers. But perhaps his coolest line was admonishing those who slandered him with this wry observation. Backstabbers, have the courage to look your victims in the eye, at least!
One fake friend can cause more damage than five enemies.
Ziad K. Abdelnour
The world of high-stakes finance is more than competitive; it's cut-throat. That's the realm this Lebanese financier moves in; he's well aware of what succeeding in that field takes. He's written several books on wealth creation and start-up saboteurs, hinting at his knowledge of false friends. All of Mr Abdelnour's writings are on-point, but nothing he penned lands quite as well as this quote.
Better an honest enemy than a false friend.
Greek proverb
Ethics matter, even if you intend to be dishonest. This Greek proverb tells us that we should be honest in our intentions. Let's not make friends just for what we can get out of the relationship. At the end of the day, you - and your friendships - will be better for it. This is a quote that can motivate you to be your best self, whether in friendship or in life.
References
- Biswas-Diener, Robert. “The Positive Impact of Friendship on Your Psychology.” 2019, https://www.highperformanceinstitute.com/blog/on-friendship-and-psychology. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. O. Henry | Biography, Short Stories, & Facts. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2019, https://www.britannica.com/biography/O-Henry. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.
- Brittanica Editors. “Baltasar Gracián | Baroque Philosopher, Jesuit Priest | Britannica.”, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Baltasar-Gracian. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.
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