40 Best Voltaire Quotes That Still Resonate Today

Voltaire quotes are timeless reflections on freedom, truth, and reason from one of the greatest French philosophers of the Enlightenment. Born François-Marie Arouet, Voltaire used his sharp wit and fearless voice to challenge tyranny, religious dogma, and social injustice. His quotes remain powerful today, inspiring critical thinking, liberty, and the courage to speak out.

In this post, we’ve gathered the most famous Voltaire quotations about freedom, truth, religion, and wisdom — perfect for sparking thought, challenging norms, or simply appreciating the genius of a bold French philosopher.

Top 10 Voltaire Quotes

1. “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire

   
2. “Faith consists in believing what reason cannot.” — Voltaire

   

3. “It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere.” — Voltaire

   

4. “Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.” — Voltaire

   

5. “Dare to think for yourself.” – Voltaire

   

6. “Every man is guilty of all the good he did not do.” – Voltaire

   

7. “One great use of words is to hide our thoughts.” ― Voltaire

   

8. “The right to free speech is more important than the content of the speech.” — Voltaire

   

9. “Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said.” — Voltaire
   
10. “God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.” ― Voltaire

    

Famous Quotes By Voltaire

1. “Liberty of thought is the life of the soul.” ― Voltaire
2. “Prejudices are what fools use for reason.” ― Voltaire
3. “If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him.” – Voltaire
4. “Life is too short, time too valuable, to spend it on what is useless.” – Voltaire
5. “The comfort of the rich depends upon an abundant supply of the poor.” – Voltaire
6. “Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is an absurd one.” – Voltaire
7. “The most important decision you make is to be in a good mood.” — Voltaire
8. “It is not inequality which is the real misfortune, it is dependence.” — Voltaire
9. “Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so, too.” — Voltaire
10. “Work keeps at bay three great evils: boredom, vice, and need.” – Voltaire, Candide
11. “The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us.” — Voltaire

    

Voltaire Philosopher Quotes

1. “The happiest of all lives is a busy solitude.”– Voltaire
2. “Perfect is the enemy of good.”– Voltaire
3. “The infinitely small have a pride infinitely great.”– Voltaire
4. “History never repeats itself. Man always does.”– Voltaire
5. “Man is free at the instant he wants to be.”– Voltaire
6. “When it is a question of money, everybody is of the same religion.” – Voltaire
7. “It is not enough to conquer; one must learn to seduce.”– Voltaire
8. “The happiest of all lives is a busy solitude.”– Voltaire
9. “Cherish those who seek the truth but beware of those who find it.”– Voltaire

   

Deep Quotes from Voltaire

1. “Love truth, but pardon error.” ― Voltaire
2. “Let us cultivate our garden.” ― Voltaire, Candide
3. “May God defend me from my friends: I can defend myself from my enemies.” – Voltaire
4. “Truly, whoever can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.” – Voltaire
5. “If you want to know who controls you, look at who you are not allowed to criticize.” – Voltaire
6. “Don’t think money does everything or you are going to end up doing everything for money.” – Voltaire
7. “‎Life is a shipwreck, but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.” ― Voltaire
8. “I might disagree with your opinion, but I am willing to give my life for your right to express it.” – Voltaire
9. “Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.” – Voltaire
10. “It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets.” ― Voltaire

Conclusion

Known for his sharp wit and fearless advocacy of liberty, Voltaire challenged authority and religious dogma through his works — most notably Candide, Letters on England, and Philosophical Dictionary. His bold words continue to inspire critical thinking and a passion for justice in today’s world.

Despite his controversial views, Voltaire was widely respected and admired during his lifetime, and his ideas and writings continue to be influential today. Also check out Friedrich Nietzsche quotes to inspire you.

Which of the above Voltaire quotes and sayings inspired you the most? Let us know in the comments section below.