sticks in a bundle are unbreakable

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Also seen as: a stick in a bundle is unbreakable · you can't break a stick in a bundle · you can't break sticks in a bundle · a twig in a bundle is unbreakable · a twig in a bundle cannot be broken · sticks in a bundle cannot be broken · you cannot break a stick in a bundle · you cannot break sticks in a bundle · you cannot break a twig in a bundle · you can't break a twig in a bundle · one cannot break a stick in a bundle · one cannot break a twig in a bundle · one can't break a stick in a bundle · one can't break sticks in a bundle · one can't break a twig in a bundle

Meaning · English

A group of people who are cooperating can succeed in a situation where an individual person cannot.

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Sticks in a bundle can’t be broken but sticks taken singly can be easily broken. Same applies to people.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “sticks in a bundle are unbreakable” mean?

A group of people who are cooperating can succeed in a situation where an individual person cannot.

Is “sticks in a bundle are unbreakable” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.