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Explaining "A friend to everyone is a friend to no one"

Reviewed and edited by Anwar Kareem 17/10/2024, 03:00
English.me team member

What does it mean?

A friend to everyone is a friend to no one

The phrase suggests that someone who tries to be friends with everyone may lack the capacity to form meaningful, deep connections with individuals. It implies that spreading oneself too thin can result in superficial friendships without loyalty or genuine bonds.

Tone

Cautionary

Origin

The phrase is often attributed to Aristotle, who discussed themes of friendship and virtue in his works, particularly emphasizing the quality over the quantity of friendships.

Examples of usage

  • John tries to please everyone in the office, but I fear he's a friend to everyone and a friend to no one.
  • She wanted to be popular, but being a friend to everyone is a friend to no one, and she ended up feeling lonely instead.
  • In trying to avoid conflict, he became a friend to everyone and a friend to no one.

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