talk is cheap
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
It is easy to talk about doing something, but actual action is more difficult.
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Sources & notes
Listed on Wikipedia “List of proverbial phrases” (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review. Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-07-30; pending editor spot-check.
Common questions
What does “talk is cheap” mean?
It is easy to talk about doing something, but actual action is more difficult.
Is “talk is cheap” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.