talk is cheap
It is easy to make boastful or unrealistic statements which are not supported by actions or evidence.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Don't just promise to help, because talk is cheap.”
“You say you can run fast, but talk is cheap.”
“Show me your work instead of explaining it, since talk is cheap.”
“He keeps saying he will fix the broken fence, but talk is cheap and he never actually picks up a hammer.”
“My manager promises a pay raise every month, but I know talk is cheap until I see the extra money in my bank account.”
“The company claims to care about the environment, yet they refuse to stop using plastic because talk is cheap.”
“You keep promising to start your own business, but talk is cheap if you never actually write a plan or save any money.”
“While the politician delivered a passionate speech about reform, the voters remained skeptical, knowing well that talk is cheap when compared to the reality of legislative action.”
first recorded 18th c.
Attested c. 1783, the expression first appears in the play All pleas'd at last. It functions as a routine observation regarding the low cost of verbal commitments compared to the higher price of action.
- 01
all talk and no cider
All talk and no results.
- 02
big talk
Statements which are boastful or exaggerated.
- 03
cheap drunk
Someone who is easily intoxicated.
- 04
cheap thrill
Something simple and inexpensive done for pleasure.
- 05
cheaper by the dozen
Handled more efficiently as a group, rather than individually.
- 06
coffee talk
Informal conversation among friends or acquaintances, of the kind that occurs in a casual gathering where people sit together and drink coffee.
- 07
fold like a cheap suit
To give up easily; capitulate.
- 08
hold cheap
To have a low esteem for (someone or something); to hold in contempt; to look down upon.
Last updated August 10, 2026