# you can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar

idiom · CEFR B1

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/you-can-catch-more-flies-with-honey-than-you-can-with-vinegar
Updated: 2026-06-07

## Meaning

You'll get what you want by being nice

## Examples

- You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar, so be kind.
- Try asking the manager for a refund politely, because you can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar.
- The diplomat believed that you can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar, choosing soft words over threats to reach a peaceful agreement.

## Origin

An old proverb recorded in English in Giovanni Torriano's collection of Italian proverbs (1666).

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.