51 Nasty Quotes to Fend Off Bitterness & Bullies

Nastiness is not a good look on anyone, but it can happen to the best of us, most likely out of spite, anger, hurt, or jealousy; we are all human beings, and if not careful, we can slip back into our childish ways. Read the following 51 quotes to learn more about what it means to be nasty.

We all have our moments where we say nasty things we regret. However, some individuals are consistently nasty no matter what anyone says or the consequences they may face because of their poor attitude.

This behavior is the most typical in teenagers, but sadly some never grow out of it. We may have them in our families, friend groups, and workplaces. They are effectively schoolyard bullies in adult bodies.

Read the 51 quotes below and learn more about what it means to be nasty.

Freeman Dyson's quote: "If you don't have a nasty obituary, you probably didn't matter." | Image: AmoDays

Personal Admission Quotes about Being Nasty

"If I had my life to live over, I would do it all again, but this time I would be nastier." — Jeannette Rankin

"A gentleman is never rude except on purpose—I can honestly be nasty sober, believe you me" — Christopher Hitchens

"I got nasty habits; I take tea at three." — Mick Jagger

"I am mean; I'm nasty at times. I don't feel like talking to people at times. When I am in a bad mood and have had a really awful day, don't come in my face because I am not tolerant and I am not a goddess; I can't handle it after a point. I am going to get up, and I am going to scream, and I am going to say bad things to you." — Kajol

"I'm not a hopeless romantic. I'm quite the reverse. I'm a nasty piece of work, an egomaniac." — Hugh Grant

Quotes about Other People Being Nasty and Judgemental

Shunya’s quote: "Sometimes the universe uses a nasty person to pull you out of your comfort zone and throw you into an opportunity." | Image: AmoDays

"Once you start integrating yourself into the world, you realize that people are nasty, mean creatures." — J. Cornell Michel

"People speak about diversity and representation like the world is ready. But when it actually happens, people can't take change. They can't deal with it. Which is why we have things like cyberbullying, which is why people will send you nasty DMs, say nasty things in your comments. Because they're just not dealing with it, they're not ready." — Zozibini Tunzi

"He looked like the sort of person who would tell you that he did not have an umbrella to lend you when he actually had several and simply wanted to see you get soaked." ― Lemony Snicket

"What I hate is nasty, ugly people." ― Karl Lagerfeld

"Don't speak to fools; they scorn the wisdom of your words." ― Nas

J. Cornell Michel’s quote: "Once you start integrating yourself into the world, you realize that people are nasty, mean creatures." | Image: AmoDays

"There is nothing to be gained by being unnecessarily nasty. Violence begets violence." ― Aung San Suu Kyi

"Some of the things you read you get an immediate reaction to, so I've stopped reading things now. I do worry about my family, though. Some people do try some nasty things to get at them and try and get a reaction from them." ― Russell Crowe

"I have learned not to read reviews. Period. And I hate reviewers. All of them, or at least all but two or three. Life is much simpler, ignoring reviews and the nasty people who write them. Critics should find meaningful work." — John Grisham

"But persistent name-calling? That prolongs hurt. It stretches out. Each nasty word stretches the rubber band further away until finally, one day, it snaps back at you with maximum impact." — Randa Abdel-Fattah

"No one goes unscathed; we all go through things. We just can't let people's nasty words become our beliefs about ourselves, you know?" — Elizabeth Berkley

Jeannette Rankin’s quote: "If I had my life to live over, I would do it all again, but this time I would be nastier." | Image: AmoDays

"I've seen a lot of women give up after they've had three or four bad gigs in a row. It's very difficult to learn not to take nasty heckles personally." — Jo Brand

"You don't need to be violent to be a bully. One word is all it takes to destroy the kindness within the soul. One word is all it takes for you to remove your halo and smash it into pieces so fine that not even a miracle would be able to put it together." ― Arti Manani

Quotes about Nasty Situations That People Have Found Themselves In

"The Nixon administration kept a nasty eye on our show... Cops would come by—often just in time to see the act they wanted to see." — Dick Cavett

"Sometimes the universe uses a nasty person to pull you out of your comfort zone and throw you into an opportunity." ― Shunya

"In 1990, I had a nasty car accident, and in 1994, my husband Ron Edgeworth died of motor neuron disease." — Judith Durham

Dick Cavett’s quote: "The Nixon administration kept a nasty eye on our show... Cops would come by—often just in time to see the act they wanted to see." | Image: AmoDays

"The chemotherapy was very peculiar, something that makes you feel much worse than the cancer itself, a very nasty thing. I used to go to treatment on my own, and nearly everybody else was with somebody. I wouldn't have liked that. Why would you want to make anybody sit in those places?" — Maggie Smith

Quotes on Opinions and Perspectives on Nastiness

"A pessimist is a man who thinks everybody is as nasty as himself and hates them for it." — George Bernard Shaw

"Nationalism leads to all sorts of nasty things (even Nazi things) like fascism and war." ― Christina Engel

"At best, the family teaches the finest things human beings can learn from one another generosity and love. But it is also, all too often, where we learn nasty things like hate, rage, and shame." ― Barbara Ehrenreich

"The nastiest kind of writer is a ghostwriter, who bears people's children in their body for money." ― M.F. Moonzajer

George Bernard Shaw’s quote: "A pessimist is a man who thinks everybody is as nasty as himself and hates them for it." | Image: AmoDays

"A piece of art comes to life when we can feel; it is breathing when it talks to us and starts raising questions. It may dispel biased perceptions, make us recognize ignored fragments, and remember forsaken episodes of our life story. Art may sometimes even be nasty and disturbing if we don't want to consent to its philosophy or concept, but it might, in the end, perhaps reconcile us with ourselves" ― Erik Pevernagie

"Mother Nature, what a nasty woman you are in a climate-changed world." ― Steven Magee

"You despise the real bourgeois classes for all their snobbishness and their snobbish voices and ways. You do, don't you? Yet all you put in their place is a horrid little refusal to have nasty thoughts or do nasty things or be nasty in any way. Do you know that every great thing in the story of art and every beautiful thing in life is actually what you call nasty or has been caused by feelings that you would call nasty? By passion, by love, by hatred, by truth. Do you know that?" ― John Fowles

"If you're going to write about war, which my books are about, wars are nasty things. I think it's sort of a cheap, easy way out to write a war story in which no one ultimately dies." — George R. R. Martin

"A good man giving bad advice is more dangerous than a nasty man giving bad advice." — Conor Cruise O'Brien

Judith Durham’s quote: "In 1990, I had a nasty car accident, and in 1994, my husband Ron Edgeworth died of motor neuron disease." | Image: AmoDays

"Electronic aids, particularly domestic computers, will help the inner migration, the opting out of reality. Reality is no longer going to be the stuff out there but the stuff inside your head. It's going to be commercial and nasty at the same time." — J. G. Ballard

"There was no end to the ways in which nice things are nicer than nasty ones." — Kingsley Amis

"In men's sports, people criticize coaches and managers all the time, call out teammates, too, and it's not that huge of a deal. Often, the guy speaking out is even lauded for having the courage, to tell the truth. When it happens in women's sports, though, it always seems to be viewed as a nasty, claws-out catfight." — Carli Lloyd

"There's a particularly nasty element when lots of men get together sometimes." — Emily Thornberry

Quotes on Nastiness and Morality

T. S. Eliot’s quote: "Let's not be narrow, nasty, and negative." | Image: AmoDays

"What I hate is nasty, ugly people." — Karl Lagerfeld

"He's nice enough not to want to be associated with a nasty remark but not nice enough not to make it. Lacking the courage of one's nastiness does not make one nice." — Michael Kinsley

"Discipline and unconditional support is earned by understanding and trust and inclusion. Not by isolation, not by nasty tricks." — Colm Keaveney

"Let's not be narrow, nasty, and negative." — T. S. Eliot

Quotes: And So the Nastiness Continues

"All I'm trying to do is survive and make good out of the dirty, nasty, unbelievable lifestyle that they gave me." — Tupac Shakur

Kim Harrison’s quote: "You need a new hobby, Rachel. Something other than nasty little men with visions of world domination." | Image: AmoDays

"The only thing that will be remembered about my enemies after they're dead is the nasty things I've said about them." ― Camille Paglia

"A poet who reads his verse in public may have other nasty habits." — Robert A. Heinlein

"Every year, back comes spring, with nasty little birds yapping their fool heads off, and the ground all mucked up with plants." ― Dorothy Parker

"We could have done this the nice way, but you chose the nasty way." — Steven Magee

Emily Thornberry’s quote: "There's a particularly nasty element when lots of men get together sometimes." | Image: AmoDays

"The band broke up because I couldn't bear Rotten anymore because he was an embarrassment with his silly hats and his, like, shabby, dirty, nasty looking appearance." ― Sid Vicious

"If, after hearing my songs, just one human being is inspired to say something nasty to a friend or, perhaps, to strike a loved one, it will all have been worth the while." ― Tom Lehrer

"People talk about escapism as though it's something nasty, but escapism is wonderful!" ― Margaret Forster

"People think that you are a nasty, selfish person if you don't want to have children." ― Janeane Garofalo

Tupac Shakur’s quote: "All I'm trying to do is survive and make good out of the dirty, nasty, unbelievable lifestyle that they gave me.” | Image: AmoDays

"Children must be considered in a divorce considered valuable pawns in the nasty legal and financial contest that is about to ensue." ― P. J. O'Rourke

"You need a new hobby, Rachel. Something other than nasty little men with visions of world domination." — Kim Harrison

"If you don't have a nasty obituary, you probably didn't matter." — Freeman Dyson

Hugh Grant’s quote: "I'm not a hopeless romantic. I'm quite the reverse. I'm a nasty piece of work, an egomaniac." | Image: AmoDays

Unfortunately, we will never be able to escape compulsively nasty people because they are everywhere. Instead, we must learn to deal with them more effectively, and if their attitude is abusive, cut all ties.

More than dealing with other individuals, we must maintain a sense of maturity and not be nasty ourselves. We must learn to avoid building resentment, find confidence, and let go of jealousy. For some help along this journey, read: 122 jealousy quotes to set you free from its claws.