Gossip can be a destructive force, spreading rumors and falsehoods that can harm reputations and relationships. When we engage in gossip, we are not only betraying the trust of others but also diminishing our own integrity.
Most people acknowledge that gossip takes time or may be harmful to someone. But why do they still engage in it?
If you’re a gossiper or are affected by gossip, this article is for you.
I spent a week gathering a collection of over 100+ gossip quotes. I’m certain it will help you gain the right perspective on gossip and how to overcome the hurt it causes.
Table of Contents
Gossip quotes
“Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
Gossip not only has the potential to harm reputations but can also erode the trust and bond within relationships. When rumors and falsehoods are spread, it can create a toxic environment of suspicion and doubt, leading to misunderstandings and unnecessary conflict.
- “Gossip is just a tool to distract people who have nothing better to do from feeling jealous of those few who are still enjoying an actual life.” – Anna Godbersen
- “Gossip is called gossip because it’s not always the truth.” – Justin Timberlake
- “Gossip dies when it hits a wise person’s ears.” – Willie Aames
- “Words spoken can never be recalled.” – Wentworth Dillon
- “Gossip is a sort of smoke that comes from the dirty tobacco-pipes of those who diffuse it; it proves nothing but the bad taste of the smoker.” – George Eliot
- “Gossip is the Devil’s radio.” – George Harrison
- “Gossip is the lazy person’s form of intelligence.” – Steven Aitchison
- “Gossip is nature’s telephone.” – Sholom Aleichem
- “Gossip is just the demons knowing your business.” – P.C. Cast
- “Gossip is the weapon of the powerless.” – Erica Jong
- “Gossip is more popular than literature.” – Hugh Leonard
- “Gossip is a bottomless pit.” – John Lyly
Savage gossip quotes
As you reflect on these quotes, consider how gossip may have impacted your life and relationships. Moving forward, it’s important to be mindful of the words we speak and the information we choose to share, as they can have a significant impact on others.
- “I don’t have the energy to pretend to like you today.”
- “Zombies eat brains. You’re safe.”
- “I’d agree with you, but then we’d both be wrong.”
- “Mirrors can’t talk. Lucky for you, they can’t laugh either.”
- “I’d explain it to you, but I’m out of puppets and crayons.”
- “Some people should use a glue stick instead of chapstick.”
- “Your crazy is showing. You might want to tuck it back in.”
- “I’m not a proctologist, but I know an asshole when I see one.”
- “I keep thinking you can’t possibly be any dumber, but you keep proving me wrong.”
- “I’m not saying I hate you, but I would unplug your life support to charge my phone.”
People Who Gossip Quotes
Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people.
Socrates
By consciously steering away from the allure of gossip and prioritizing integrity and empathy, we can contribute to a more positive and supportive community where trust and understanding flourish.
- “People who are intimidated by you talk bad about you with hopes that others won’t find you so appealing.”
- “Gossip is the devil’s radio.”
- “If you’re talking behind my back then you’re in a perfect position to kiss my ass.”
- “Gossips are only sociable in the same way as typhus is infectious.” – Katherine Anne Porter
- “If they don’t know you personally, don’t take it personal.”
- “Small minds can’t comprehend big spirits. To be great, you have to be willing to be mocked, hated, and misunderstood.”
- “I don’t trust anyone who talks bad about someone else to me, they probably talk bad about me too.”
- “Gossip dies when it hits a wise person’s ears.”
Stop Gossiping About Me Quotes
Don’t worry about those who talk behind your back. They’re behind you for a reason.
Unknown
- “What you say about me says more about you than it does about me.”
- “If you can’t say anything nice, then don’t say anything at all.”
- “I’m not responsible for what you think you know about me.”
- “My life, my choices, my mistakes, my lessons, not your business.”
- “Your opinion of me doesn’t define who I am.”
- “Gossip is often more telling of the gossiper than of the gossiped about.”
- “If you have a problem with me, call me. If you don’t have my number, then that means you don’t know me well enough to have a problem.”
- “Jealousy is a disease. Get well soon.”
- “If you’re talking about me behind my back, that just means my life is obviously more interesting than yours.”
Gossip Hearing One Side of the Story Quotes
There are always three sides to a story: yours, theirs, and the truth.
Unknown
- “Before you assume, learn. Before you judge, understand. Before you hurt, feel. Before you say, think.”
- “Everyone has a chapter they don’t read out loud.”
- “Be careful who you trust. The devil was once an angel.”
- “Don’t judge my story by the chapter you walked in on.”
- “A story is not complete until both sides have been heard.”
- “The truth is always found somewhere in the middle.”
- “Gossip is a fool’s version of the truth.”
- “Hearing only one side of a story is like seeing only one side of a picture.”
- “It’s easy to judge. It’s more difficult to understand.”
Gossip Quotes About Talking About Others
If you can’t say something good about someone, sit right here by me.
Alice Roosevelt Longworth
- “If you don’t have anything nice to say, come sit by me.”
- “People who do not understand you will never settle for any proof, and people who appreciate you do not need any proof.”
- “Talking about someone who isn’t present is a form of betrayal.”
- “When you gossip about another, you define who you are.”
- “Words have power. TV and radio are used to communicate. Use your power of speech for good purpose.”
- “A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.”
- “Gossip is the art of saying nothing in a way that leaves practically nothing unsaid.” – Walter Winchell
- “Don’t spend time beating on a wall, hoping it will transform into a door.”
- “Don’t talk about people; talk about ideas.”
Stop Gossiping Quotes
“Words have the power to destroy or heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.”
Unknown
- “Less gossiping, more encouraging.”
- “Gossip is just trash talking about people who aren’t present to defend themselves.”
- “If you didn’t hear it with your own ears or see it with your own eyes, you can’t spread it with your small mind.”
- “Gossiping about others creates a prison for yourself.”
- “Speak only if it improves upon the silence.” – Mahatma Gandhi
- “Gossiping is a waste of time and energy.”
- “If you have nothing good to say, then it’s better to say nothing.”
- “Gossip is a cheap way to make yourself feel good, but it has a high cost.”
- “The less you respond to negative people, the more peaceful your life will become.”
Karma Gossip Quotes
Life is an echo. What you send out, comes back.
Unknown
- “Karma has no menu. You get served what you deserve.” – Unknown
- “Be careful with your words. Once they are said, they can be only forgiven, not forgotten.” – Unknown
- “Gossipers are like street dogs, sooner or later they bite the hands that feed them.” – Unknown
- “Karma never loses an address.” – Unknown
- “If you’re going to talk about me behind my back, don’t be surprised when Karma comes back and bites you.” – Unknown
- “What goes around, comes around. Keep your circle positive.” – Unknown
- “Karma is a patient waiter.” – Unknown
- “Don’t waste your time on revenge. Those who hurt you will eventually face their own karma.” – Unknown
- “Life is an echo. What you send out, comes back.” – Unknown
- “Karma is like a rubber band. You can only stretch it so far before it comes back and smacks you in the face.” – Unknown
Funny Quotes About Gossip
The only time people dislike gossip is when you gossip about them.
Will Rogers
- “I don’t gossip. I just share what I know with people who happen to be listening at the time.” – Unknown
- “I love rumors. I always find out amazing things about myself I never knew.” – Unknown
- “Gossip is when you hear something you like about someone you don’t.” – Unknown
- “Remember, if people talk about you behind your back, it simply means you’re two steps ahead.” – Unknown
- “My hobbies include talking about my friends and helping them find out about it.” – Unknown
- “Gossip is nature’s telephone.” – Unknown
- “Some people are like clouds. When they disappear, it’s a brighter day.” – Unknown
- “If you can’t say something nice, let’s hear it.” – Unknown
- “A good gossip is just a personal PR agent.” – Unknown
Bad Mouthing Talking Bad About Others Quotes
If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
Mother Terea
- “When people are lame, they love to blame.” – Robert Kiyosaki
- “Don’t waste your time with explanations. People only hear what they want to hear.” – Paulo Coelho
- “If you can’t say anything nice, then don’t say anything at all.” – Aesop
- “Speaking ill of others is a cheap, dishonest way to praise ourselves.” – Unknown
- “Belittling others does not elevate you.” – Unknown
- “Be kind to unkind people. They need it the most.” – Ashleigh Brilliant
- “Don’t speak bad about people behind their back. Karma is listening.” – Unknown
- “Gossiping and lying go hand in hand.” – Proverb
- “Small people talk about other people, average people talk about things, great people talk about ideas.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
Quotes About People Who Talk About You
People who talk about you aren’t worth your time.
Unknown
- “Let people talk about you. It’s okay. Your job is to be happy, not to stop the gossip.” – Unknown
- “People will question all the good things they hear about you but believe all the bad without a second thought.” – Unknown
- “Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people.” – Socrates
- “No matter how good you are, someone is always going to be against you.” – Unknown
- “I don’t care what people say about me. I know who I am and I don’t have to prove anything to anyone.” – Unknown
- “People will always whisper about you, but never let them control your voice.” – Unknown
- “People who spend their time talking about you, spend none of their time improving themselves.” – Unknown
- “If they’re talking about you, you must be doing something right.” – Unknown
- “People’s words only hurt if you give them the power to do so.” – Unknown
Quotes About Rumors
A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.
Charles Spurgeon
- “Rumors are carried by haters, spread by fools, and accepted by idiots.” – Unknown
- “Rumors are as dumb as the people who started them and as fake as the people who help spread them.” – Unknown
- “Never make negative comments or spread rumors about anyone. It depreciates their reputation and yours.” – Brian Koslow
- “Believe nothing of what you hear, and only half of what you see.” – Benjamin Franklin
- “The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.” – Oscar Wilde
- “Rumors are the oldest form of media.” – Unknown
- “Gossip needs no carriage.” – Russian Proverb
- “Rumors generally grow deformed as they travel.” – Thomas Jefferson
- “Isn’t it kind of silly to think that tearing someone else down builds you up?” – Sean Covey
Strategies to Avoid Gossip and Foster Positive Communication
Practice Mindful Listening
One of the most effective ways to avoid engaging in gossip is to practice mindful listening. This involves paying full attention to the speaker, being present in the conversation, and refraining from making assumptions or passing judgment.
By actively listening and seeking to understand others, we can discourage the spread of rumors and falsehoods.
Redirect Conversations
When faced with gossip or rumors, it’s important to redirect the conversation in a positive direction. This can be done by steering the topic towards constructive and uplifting discussions, such as sharing ideas, experiences, and positive news.
By consciously shifting the focus away from gossip, we contribute to a more enriching and supportive social environment.
Lead by Example
As individuals, we have the power to influence those around us through our actions. By demonstrating a commitment to integrity, kindness, and empathy in our own interactions, we set a positive example for others to follow.
Leading by example can inspire others to prioritize respectful communication and discourage the spread of harmful gossip.
Conclusion about Gossip
In summary, gossip has the potential to breed negativity and undermine trust within relationships and communities. By adopting mindful listening, redirecting conversations, and leading by example, we can actively work towards creating a culture of positivity and respect.
Let us strive to uphold Eleanor Roosevelt’s wisdom and focus our discussions on ideas and constructive dialogue, rather than succumbing to the damaging effects of gossip.