A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds

Cultural

A great person does not have to think consistently from one day to the next. This remark comes from the essay “Self-Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson does not explain the difference between foolish and wise consistency.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, wrote Ralph Waldo Emerson.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 21, 2017

Diane Wilson: A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds: Emerson.

From Slate ● Feb. 23, 2012

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023