Some days you need a strong woman quote to get through a meeting. Other days you need a verse or a few words of encouragement for a friend.
This list has all of it, organized so you can find the right words fast instead of scrolling through 50 quotes that don’t fit. There are more than 130 quotes below, sorted into the categories real people actually search for.
Motivational Quotes for Women
- “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.” — Michelle Obama
- “The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” — Ayn Rand
- “I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.” — Louisa May Alcott
- “You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.” — Maya Angelou
- “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” — Suzy Kassem
- “The most effective way to do it is to do it.” — Amelia Earhart
- “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” — Maya Angelou
- “I raise up my voice, not so I can shout, but so those without a voice can be heard.” — Malala Yousafzai
- “A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong she is until she is in hot water.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
- “Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” — Nora Ephron
Inspirational Female Quotes
- “One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman.” — Simone de Beauvoir
- “I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” — Audre Lorde
- “For most of history, Anonymous was a woman.” — Virginia Woolf
- “I have chosen to no longer be apologetic for my femaleness and my femininity.” — Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- “A girl should be two things: who and what she wants.” — Coco Chanel
- “I am too intelligent, too demanding, and too resourceful for anyone to take charge of my whole existence.” — Simone de Beauvoir
- “Feminism is the radical notion that women are people.” — Marie Shear
Inspirational Sayings for Women
- “She believed she could, so she did.” — R.S. Grey
- “Well-behaved women seldom make history.” — Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
- “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
- “The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.” — Coco Chanel
- “Don’t try to lessen yourself for the world; let the world catch up to you.” — Beyoncé
- “I am my own experiment. I am my own work of art.” — Madonna
- “Your story is what you have, what you will always have. It is something to own.” — Michelle Obama
- “I’m too busy writing my own story to read yours.” — Unknown
- “Strong women don’t have attitudes, they have standards.” — Unknown
- “She stood in her power and the world made way.” — Unknown
Short Inspirational Quotes for Women
- “Fierce. Fearless. Female.” — Unknown
- “She built her own kind of empire.” — Unknown
- “Soft heart, hard hustle.” — Unknown
- “Unbothered, and in her own lane.” — Unknown
Strong Woman Quotes (and Strong Women Quotes)
- “A strong woman looks a challenge dead in the eye and gives it a wink.” — Gina Carey
- “She was powerful not because she wasn’t scared, but because she went on so strongly, despite the fear.” — Atticus
- “The best protection any woman can have is courage.” — Elizabeth Cady Stanton
- “I am woman, hear me roar.” — Helen Reddy
- “A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman.” — Melinda Gates
- “Nevertheless, she persisted.” — a phrase from the 2017 U.S. Senate, said about Elizabeth Warren, later adopted as a rallying cry
- “She remembered who she was, and the game changed.” — Lalah Delia
- “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated.” — Maya Angelou
- “There’s something so wonderful about coming into your own power as a woman.” — Salma Hayek
Strong Woman Quotes, Short
- “Strong. Confident. Woman.” — Unknown
- “She is fierce, and she knows it.” — Unknown
- “Storms don’t scare her. She is one.” — Unknown
Amazing Woman Quotes
- “An amazing woman is one who keeps rising after every fall.” — Unknown
- “She turned her can’ts into cans and her dreams into plans.” — Unknown
- “She is clothed in strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.” — inspired by Proverbs 31:25
Valuable Woman Quotes
- “A woman’s worth is not measured by how she is treated, but by who she remains regardless.” — Unknown
- “Your value doesn’t decrease based on someone’s inability to see your worth.” — Unknown
- “Know your worth, then add tax.” — Unknown
Inspiring Strong Woman Quotes
- “She stood in the storm, and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails.” — Elizabeth Edwards
- “Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” — J.K. Rowling
- “Storms make trees take deeper roots.” — Dolly Parton
Inspirational Quotes for Women’s Strength
- “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” — Mahatma Gandhi
- “You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” — Marcus Aurelius
- “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” — Japanese Proverb
Women Quotes
- “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.” — Ruth Bader Ginsburg
- “I’m not bossy, I’m the boss.” — Beyoncé
- “A woman’s mind and her body are the terrain on which she lives.” — Adrienne Rich
- “When women support each other, incredible things happen.” — Unknown
- “You educate a woman, you educate a family.” — African Proverb
Women Quotes, Short
- “She is her own kind of beautiful.” — Unknown
- “Soft power, hard limits.” — Unknown
- “A woman with a plan is unstoppable.” — Unknown
Female Quotes
- “I am not lucky. I am talented, and I take advantage of the opportunities that come my way.” — Amy Poehler
- “Power is not given to you. You have to take it.” — Beyoncé
- “You cannot be brave if you’re only surrounded by people who make you feel safe.” — Margaret Atwood
- “Power is when you have every justification to kill someone and don’t.” — Toni Morrison
- “I am a woman with thoughts and questions and things to say. I say if I’m beautiful. I say if I’m strong.” — Amy Schumer
Women Empowerment Quotes
- “Empowered women empower women.” — Unknown
- “A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture, and transform.” — Diane Mariechild
- “Feminism isn’t about making women stronger. Women are already strong. It’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength.” — G.D. Anderson
- “There is no force more powerful than a woman determined to rise.” — W.E.B. Du Bois
- “The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist, nor to any one organization, but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights.” — Gloria Steinem
- “We need to reshape our own perception of how we view ourselves.” — Beyoncé
- “You don’t have to be anti-man to be pro-woman.” — Jane Galvin Lewis
- “Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, she stands up for all women.” — Maya Angelou
Female Empowerment Quotes
- “If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman.” — Margaret Thatcher
- “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” — Dolly Parton
- “You may not always have a comfortable life, and you will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems, but don’t underestimate the importance you can have.” — Michelle Obama
Women Empowering Women Quotes
- “Behind every successful woman is a tribe of other successful women who have her back.” — Unknown
- “There is no greater thing you can do with your life than follow your passions in a way that helps others.” — Oprah Winfrey
- “Together we are a force to be reckoned with.” — Unknown
- “One of the most courageous things you can do is identify yourself, know what you believe in, and know where you want to go.” — Sheila Murray Bethel
- “Surround yourself with women who will lift you higher.” — Unknown
Empowering Quotes
- “You are the leader you have been waiting for.” — Gloria Steinem
- “If more women lean in, we can change the power structure of our world.” — Sheryl Sandberg
- “You are powerful, and your voice matters.” — Malala Yousafzai
Women Empowerment Quotes, Short
- “She is unstoppable.” — Unknown
- “Powerful. Purposeful. Unbothered.” — Unknown
- “Rise, woman, rise.” — Unknown
Empowering Words for Women
- “You are worthy of the life you are dreaming of.” — Unknown
- “Your only limit is the one you set in your own mind.” — Unknown
- “Trust yourself. You have survived every hard day so far.” — Unknown
Female Empowerment Words
- “Resilient. Radiant. Real.” — Unknown
- “She turned her wounds into wisdom.” — Oprah Winfrey
- “Bold moves. Soft heart.” — Unknown
Motivational Quotes for Women’s Empowerment
- “You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress simultaneously.” — Sophia Bush
- “Speak up. Believe in yourself. Take risks.” — Gabby Douglas
- “Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage.” — Brené Brown
Spiritual Quotes for Women
- “The soul that sees beauty may sometimes walk alone.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
- “You are a divine being. You matter, you count, you come from realms of light.” — Wayne Dyer
Beautiful Quotes for Women
- “Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.” — Coco Chanel
- “You don’t have to be perfect to be amazing.” — Unknown
- “The prettiest smile is the one you never had to force.” — Unknown
- “Elegance is not standing out, but being remembered.” — Giorgio Armani
- “She wore her scars like wings.” — Unknown
- “A woman is like a rose; even after the bloom has faded, you can still see the beauty within.” — Unknown
Positive Quotes for Women
- “Choose to shine.” — Unknown
- “Positive anything is better than negative nothing.” — Elbert Hubbard
- “You are enough, just as you are.” — Meghan Markle
- “I choose to make the rest of my life the best of my life.” — Louise Hay
- “Joy is an act of resistance.” — Toi Derricotte
- “I don’t measure success by how much money you made. I measure success by how many people you’ve helped.” — Ellen DeGeneres
Powerful Women Quotes
- “The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another.” — Serena Williams
- “I really think a champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall.” — Serena Williams
- “I am deliberate and afraid of nothing.” — Audre Lorde
- “I built a life I didn’t need a vacation from.” — Unknown
- “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
- “I am powerful beyond measure, and I am not afraid to show it.” — Unknown
- “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” — Maya Angelou
- “I don’t wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that.” — Pearl S. Buck
Words of Encouragement for Women
- “You’ve got everything you need inside you already.” — Unknown
- “One day you’ll tell your story of how you overcame what you went through, and it will become someone else’s survival guide.” — Brené Brown
- “The way you overcome shame is to find your voice.” — Brené Brown
- “Keep going. Everything you need will come to you at the right time.” — Unknown
- “You are so much stronger than you know, and so much more resilient than you think.” — Unknown
Encouraging Quotes for Women
- “Don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know. That can be your greatest strength.” — Sara Blakely
- “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
- “Keep going. You are getting closer, even when it doesn’t feel like it.” — Unknown
Uplifting Words for Women
- “The best is yet to come, and you get to decide what that looks like.” — Unknown
- “You are allowed to outgrow the things that once defined you.” — Unknown
- “Bloom where you are planted, then plant yourself somewhere bigger.” — Unknown
Uplifting Quotes for Women
- “Every storm runs out of rain.” — Maya Angelou
- “Healing takes courage, and we all have courage, even if we have to dig a little to find it.” — Tori Amos
- “You are not behind. You are exactly where you need to be to grow into who you’re becoming.” — Unknown
Inspiring Words for Women
- “I want every girl to know that her voice can change the world.” — Malala Yousafzai
- “Don’t be afraid to be ambitious about your goals. Hard work never stops. Neither should your dreams.” — Dylan Lauren
- “Girls should never be afraid to be smart.” — Emma Watson
Inspirational Messages for Women
- “You are not your bad days.” — Mel Robbins
- “You have the power to change your life. Just start with changing your thoughts.” — Mel Robbins
- “Everything you want to be, you already are. You’re simply on the path to discovering it.” — Alicia Keys
Words of Encouragement for a Strong Woman
- “Strong women: may we know them, may we be them, may we raise them.” — Unknown
- “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” — A.A. Milne
Life Quotes for Women
- “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” — Vivian Greene
- “The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.” — Oprah Winfrey
- “It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” — George Eliot
- “I’ve learned that making a living is not the same thing as making a life.” — Maya Angelou
- “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” — Maya Angelou
- “Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.” — Helen Keller
Famous Quotes by Women
- “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear.” — Rosa Parks
- “You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I’ll rise.” — Maya Angelou
- “Science knows no country, because knowledge belongs to humanity.” — Marie Curie
- “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood.” — Marie Curie
- “One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.” — Helen Keller
- “I would rather die a meaningful death than to live a meaningless life.” — Malala Yousafzai
- “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” — Maya Angelou
Self Love Quotes for Women
- “Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.” — Brené Brown
- “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” — Buddha
- “Loving yourself isn’t vanity, it’s sanity.” — Katrina Mayer
- “Self-care is how you take your power back.” — Lalah Delia
- “You are your best thing.” — Toni Morrison
Self Motivation Quotes for Woman
- “Do one thing every day that scares you.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
- “The most important thing is to enjoy your life, to be happy. It’s all that matters.” — Audrey Hepburn
- “I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.” — Estée Lauder
Leadership Quotes by Women
- “Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.” — Ruth Bader Ginsburg
- “I always did something I was not quite ready to do. I think that’s how you grow.” — Marissa Mayer
- “You have to believe in yourself when no one else does. That makes you a winner right there.” — Venus Williams
- “Leadership is a series of behaviors rather than a role for heroes.” — Margaret Wheatley
- “Excellence is the best deterrent to racism or sexism.” — Oprah Winfrey
- “Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.” — Mother Teresa
Success Quotes for Women
- “You can’t be that kid standing at the top of the waterslide, overthinking it. You have to go down the chute.” — Tina Fey
- “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.” — Albert Schweitzer
- “Whatever women do, they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult.” — Charlotte Whitton
- “The road to success is always under construction.” — Lily Tomlin
Motivational Quotes for Women’s Success
- “Believe you can, and you’re halfway there.” — Theodore Roosevelt
- “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” — Alice Walker
Inspirational Quotes for Young Women
- “You are never too young to lead.” — Malala Yousafzai
- “Dream bigger. Do bigger.” — Unknown
- “You are enough. You are so enough. It is unbelievable how enough you are.” — Sierra Boggess
- “Nothing is impossible. The word itself says ‘I’m possible’!” — Audrey Hepburn
- “You define your own life. Don’t let other people write your script.” — Oprah Winfrey
- “The most beautiful thing you can wear is confidence.” — Blake Lively
Quotes for Every Season of a Woman’s Life
Not every quote fits every day. These are grouped by the situation they actually help with.
For Women at Work
- “I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took any excuse.” — Florence Nightingale
- “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” — Alice Walker
For Women in Business
- “Don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know. That can be your greatest strength.” — Sara Blakely
- “You have to make your own opportunities.” — Unknown
For Women Over 50
- “Age is nothing but a number that describes how long you’ve been rocking this world.” — Unknown
- “I don’t want to be a passenger in my own life.” — Diane Ackerman
For a Strong Woman Fighting Cancer
These are meant as a moment of comfort, not medical guidance. Talk to your care team about what your treatment and recovery actually need.
- “Cancer is a word, not a sentence.” — John Diamond
- “One day at a time is enough. Some days, one moment at a time is enough.” — Unknown
For Women in Recovery
- “Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” — J.K. Rowling
- “Progress, not perfection.” — a phrase widely used in recovery communities
For Women Going Through Heartbreak
- “You are allowed to grieve the life you thought you’d have, and still build something beautiful from what’s left.” — Unknown
- “She let go of what she couldn’t control, and finally, she could breathe.” — Unknown
Women’s Month Quotes
- “Here’s to strong women. May we know them, may we be them, may we raise them.” — Unknown
- “Women’s rights are human rights.” — Hillary Clinton, 1995 UN Fourth World Conference on Women
Women’s Day Empowering Quotes
- “On this day and every day, may every woman know her own strength.” — Unknown
- “Behind every successful woman is herself.” — Unknown
Women’s Month Inspirational Messages
- “This month, and always, we celebrate the women who came before us and the ones still finding their voice.” — Unknown
- “Every woman deserves to be seen, heard, and celebrated, not just this month, but every day.” — Unknown
How to Share These Quotes Well
A quote works better with a little care around it. Three things to check before you send or post one.
Match the tone to the moment. A “girl boss” quote can feel tone-deaf next to news about a health diagnosis. Read the room, not just the topic.
Say something in your own words first. “I’ve been thinking about you, and this line stuck with me” does more than the quote by itself.
Get the punctuation right. In American English, the period sits inside the closing quotation mark: “She is unstoppable.” not “She is unstoppable”. See our American English guide for more of these rules, or our writing tips for putting a message like this together well.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most powerful quote for a woman?
“There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish,” by Michelle Obama, is one of the most widely shared because it names both ambition and possibility without qualifying either.
What is a good verse for a woman going through a hard time?
Isaiah 43:5, “Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west,” is one of the most cited verses for reassurance during a difficult season, alongside Proverbs 31:25 for strength and identity.
What is a short quote for a strong woman?
“I am a woman, hear me roar,” by Helen Reddy, and “Nevertheless, she persisted,” are two of the shortest and most recognized phrases associated with women’s strength.
Is “nevertheless, she persisted” an original quote from a famous woman?
Not exactly. It comes from a 2017 U.S. Senate floor statement made about Senator Elizabeth Warren, and was adopted afterward as a rallying phrase rather than something she said about herself.
How many quotes are in this list?
This page includes more than 150 quotes, verses, and sayings, organized into categories so you can find the right one without scrolling through all of them.
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