“Familiarity breeds contempt” is the proverb that explains why we sometimes value least the things we know best. Here is what it means, where it comes from, how to use it, and a few sayings that share its insight.
What Does “Familiarity Breeds Contempt” Mean?
The proverb means that knowing someone or something too closely, for too long, can lead to a loss of respect, wonder, or admiration. The mystery and awe we feel toward what is new and distant tend to fade once it becomes ordinary and ever-present — and what we take for granted, we may start to look down on. It is a caution that closeness has a cost, and that even the finest things can lose their shine through over-familiarity.
Origin of the Proverb
The idea is ancient. It appears in one of Aesop’s fables, in which a fox who is terrified the first time he meets a lion grows so used to him that he can soon speak to him without fear. The Roman writer Publilius Syrus stated it directly in the first century BC, and the English proverb has been in use since the late Middle Ages, appearing in Chaucer’s time and in countless collections since.
Examples in a Sentence
- “They were inseparable at first, but familiarity breeds contempt, and soon they bickered constantly.”
- “Working too closely with your heroes can disappoint you — familiarity breeds contempt.”
- “He stopped admiring the view from his window; familiarity breeds contempt.”
Similar Proverbs
- No man is a hero to his valet — those who see us up close are least impressed by us.
- Absence makes the heart grow fonder — the opposite case: distance can renew affection.
- A prophet is not honoured in his own country — those who know us well respect us least.
- The grass is always greener on the other side — we undervalue the familiar and prize the distant.
For more shrewd observations of human nature, see our smart thoughts and the full library of proverbs and their meanings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “familiarity breeds contempt” mean?
It means that knowing someone or something too closely for too long can lead to a loss of respect or admiration; what becomes ordinary loses its wonder.
Where does the proverb come from?
The idea appears in Aesop’s fable of the fox and the lion and was stated by the Roman writer Publilius Syrus in the first century BC; the English proverb has been used since the late Middle Ages.
What is a similar proverb?
“No man is a hero to his valet” shares the idea, while “absence makes the heart grow fonder” describes the opposite effect of distance.
