actions speak louder than words

• enPR: ăk′shənz spēk loud′ər thăn′ wûrdz, -thən-
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): (contemporary) /ˈak.ʃənz spiːk ˈlaʊ̯d.ə ˌðan wɜːdz/, (conservative) /ˈæk.ʃənz spiːk ˈlaʊ̯d.ə ˌðæn wɜːdz/; /-ðən-/
• (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈæk.ʃənz spik ˈlaʊ̯d.əɹ ˌðæn wɜɹdz/; /-ðən-/

  Audio (US):

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• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈæk.ʃənz spiːk ˈlæɔ̯d.ə ˌðæn wɜːdz/; /-ðən-/
• (New Zealand) IPA^(key): /ˈɛk.ʃənz spiːk ˈlæʊ̯d.ə ˌðɛn wøːdz/, /ˈɛk.ʃənz spiːk ˈlæʊ̯d.ɐ ˌðɛn wøːdz/, /ˈɛk.ʃənz spiːk ˈlæʊ̯d.a ˌðɛn wøːdz/; /-ðən-/
• (Scotland) IPA^(key): /ˈak.ʃənz spik ˈlʌʊ̯d.əɹ ˌðan wʌɹdz/; /-ðən-/
• (India) IPA^(key): /ˈak.ʃi̯onz spiːk ˈlawɖ.əʳ ˌd̪an wəːʳɖz/; /-d̪an-/
• Hyphenation: ac‧tion speak loud‧er than words

actions speak louder than words

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

   Antonym: the pen is mightier than the sword

   • 2026 February 4, David Stubbings, “Frustrations over Access for All decisions”, in RAIL, number 1054, page 17:

     "The Government says accessibility is a priority, but actions speak louder than words," he said.

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

• “actions speak louder than words”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• Titelman, Gregory Y. (1996), Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings, →ISBN, page 2