Explaining "A picture is worth a thousand words"

Reviewed and edited by

Lloyd Cooper 30/09/2024, 14:27

English.me team member

What does it mean?

The phrase means that a single image can convey complex ideas and emotions more effectively than a large amount of words can.

Tone

Informative

Origin

The phrase is believed to have originated from an article in the advertising trade journal "Printer's Ink" in the early 20th century, attributed to Fred R. Barnard. It was used to promote the use of images in advertisements to convey messages more powerfully.

Examples of usage

A single photograph from the event was published, and it truly was worth a thousand words.
When he couldn't describe the scene with words, he simply showed her a picture, acknowledging that a picture is worth a thousand words.
While describing the architecture was difficult, one look at the picture demonstrated why a picture is worth a thousand words.