Explaining "A watched pot never boils."

Reviewed and edited by

Anwar Kareem 15/11/2024, 17:24

English.me team member

What does it mean?

The phrase "A watched pot never boils" is a proverb meaning that if you anxiously wait for something to happen, it will seem to take longer.

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Origin

The saying is a proverbial expression dating back to at least the 18th century and is commonly attributed to Benjamin Franklin in his publication "Poor Richard's Almanack".

Examples of usage

Don't keep checking the mail every hour; remember, a watched pot never boils!
He was so eager for the project to succeed that he forgot the lesson of the watched pot never boiling.
While waiting for her test results, she reminded herself that a watched pot never boils.