Phrase guide

actions speak louder than words

proverb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • ăk′shənz spēk loud′ər thăn′ wûrdz
  • -thən-
  • Received-Pronunciation, contemporary: /ˈak.ʃənz spiːk ˈlaʊ̯d.ə ˌðan wɜːdz/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈæk.ʃənz spiːk ˈlaʊ̯d.ə ˌðæn wɜːdz/ conservative
  • Received-Pronunciation: /-ðən-/
  • Canada, General-American: /ˈæk.ʃənz spik ˈlaʊ̯d.əɹ ˌðæn wɜɹdz/
  • Canada, General-American: /-ðən-/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australian: /ˈæk.ʃənz spiːk ˈlæɔ̯d.ə ˌðæn wɜːdz/
  • Australian: /-ðən-/
  • New-Zealand: /ˈɛk.ʃənz spiːk ˈlæʊ̯d.ə ˌðɛn wøːdz/
  • New-Zealand: /ˈɛk.ʃənz spiːk ˈlæʊ̯d.ɐ ˌðɛn wøːdz/
  • New-Zealand: /ˈɛk.ʃənz spiːk ˈlæʊ̯d.a ˌðɛn wøːdz/
  • New-Zealand: /-ðən-/
  • Scotland: /ˈak.ʃənz spik ˈlʌʊ̯d.əɹ ˌðan wʌɹdz/
  • Scotland: /-ðən-/
  • India: /ˈak.ʃi̯onz spiːk ˈlawɖ.ər ˌd̪an wəːrɖz/
  • India: /-d̪an-/

1

proverb

Meaning 1

It is more effective to act directly than to speak of action.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: the pen is mightier than the sword

2

proverb

Meaning 2

An individual's actions indicate their true sentiments more reliably than their claims do.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

42 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: الْأَعْمَال أَعْلَى صَوْتًا مِن الْكَلِمَات (al-ʔaʕmāl ʔaʕlā ṣawtan min al-kalimāt) — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Chinese Mandarin: 行勝於言 /行胜于言 (xíng shèng yú yán) — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Chinese Mandarin: 行比說聲 /行比说声 (xíng bǐ shuō shēng) — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Chinese Mandarin: 事實勝於雄辯 /事实胜于雄辩 (shìshí shèng yú xióngbiàn) — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Chinese Mandarin: 行動勝於空談 /行动胜于空谈 (xíngdòng shèngyú kōngtán) — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Dutch: geen woorden maar daden — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Dutch: daden zeggen meer dan woorden — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Dutch: niet lullen maar poetsen — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Finnish: teot puhuvat enemmän kuin sanat — it is more effective to act than speak
  • French: bien faire vaut mieux que bien dire — it is more effective to act than speak
  • German: Taten statt Worte — it is more effective to act than speak
  • German: Nägel mit Köpfen machen — it is more effective to act than speak
  • German: Taten sagen mehr als Worte — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Hindi: काम बोलता है (kām boltā hai) — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Hungarian: a tett harsányabb a szónál — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Hungarian: a tettek minden szónál ékesebben beszélnek — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Italian: a parole siamo tutti bravi — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Italian: a parole so' bravo anch'io — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Japanese: 不言実行 (fugenjikkō) — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Korean: 불언실행 (bureonsilhaeng) — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Latin: rēs, nōn verba — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Latin: ācta, nōn verba — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Polish: czyny mówią głośniej niż słowa — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Portuguese: ações falam mais alto que palavras — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Slovene: dejanja so močnejša od besed — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Spanish: obras son amores, que no buenas razones — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Turkish: lafla peynir gemisi yürümez — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Turkish: ayinesi iştir kişinin, lafa bakılmaz — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Vietnamese: hành động có giá trị hơn lời nói — it is more effective to act than speak
  • Chinese Mandarin: 行動勝於言語 /行动胜于言语 (xíngdòng shèngyú yányǔ) — actions indicate true sentiments
  • Chinese Mandarin: 事實勝於雄辯 /事实胜于雄辩 (shìshí shèngyú xióngbiàn) — actions indicate true sentiments
  • Dutch: daden zeggen meer dan woorden — actions indicate true sentiments
  • Finnish: teot puhuvat enemmän kuin sanat — actions indicate true sentiments
  • German: Taten sagen mehr als Worte — actions indicate true sentiments
  • German: an ihren Taten sollt ihr sie erkennen — actions indicate true sentiments
  • Indonesian: pangsa menunjukkan bangsa — actions indicate true sentiments
  • Polish: czyny mówią głośniej niż słowa — actions indicate true sentiments
  • Portuguese: ações falam mais alto que palavras — actions indicate true sentiments
  • Scottish Gaelic: beul a labhras ach gnìomh a dhearbhas — actions indicate true sentiments
  • Scottish Gaelic: beul a labhras ach cridhe a dhearbhas — actions indicate true sentiments
  • Spanish: por sus frutos los conoceréis — actions indicate true sentiments
  • Spanish: el movimiento se demuestra andando — actions indicate true sentiments