Phrase guide

who keeps company with the wolf will learn to howl

proverb · 1 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

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1

proverb

Meaning 1

A person tends to acquire the characteristics of those with whom they associate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Often attributed to Will Graves.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Cantonese: 臭罌出臭草 /臭罂出臭草 (cau3 aang1 ceot1 cau3 cou2) — Translations
  • Chinese Mandarin: 近朱者赤,近墨者黑 (jìn zhū zhě chì, jìn mò zhě hēi) — Translations
  • Finnish: seura tekee kaltaisekseen — Translations
  • Japanese: 朱に交われば赤くなる (shu ni majiwareba akaku naru) — Translations