Rudyard Kipling — Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.
Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling, speech (1923)
Kipling, a master of them, did not say words are pretty or useful. He said they are a drug — something that enters you, changes your chemistry, and moves you before you've decided to be moved.
Learning English is learning to handle that power: to feel how one word soothes and another stings, how rhythm persuades, how a single well-placed phrase can change someone's day. Use it with care.
Words that widen the world
Having great strength, force, or influence.
Synonyms: strong, potent, forceful
A powerful sentence can outlast the speaker.
Human beings considered collectively; humanity.
Synonyms: humanity, humankind, people
Language is mankind's oldest invention.
Common questions
He meant words act on us like a drug — they can influence emotions and behavior powerfully and almost involuntarily.
It's a reminder that word choice carries real emotional weight, so learning the connotation of words matters as much as their meaning.
Carry it with you
In your own words, what does this thought mean to you? Write three or four sentences in English about a moment when it felt true — saying it yourself is how it stays with you.
Read more from Rudyard Kipling
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