if you fly with the crows, you get shot with the crows
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Somebody who spends time with undesirable people will be regarded as one of them.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “if you fly with the crows, you get shot with the crows” mean?
Somebody who spends time with undesirable people will be regarded as one of them.
Is “if you fly with the crows, you get shot with the crows” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.