“Time heals all wounds” is the proverb we offer to comfort grief and pain. Here is what it means, where it comes from, how to use it, and a few sayings that share its consolation.
What Does “Time Heals All Wounds” Mean?
The proverb means that emotional pain, grief, and sorrow gradually fade and become easier to bear as time passes. Wounds of the heart — heartbreak, loss, disappointment — feel unbearable at first, but with the slow passage of time they lose their sharpness and we begin to recover. It is one of the gentlest forms of comfort we can offer the grieving: a promise that, however bad things feel now, they will hurt less in time.
Origin of the Proverb
The idea is ancient. The Greek playwright Menander wrote around 300 BC that “time is the healer of all necessary evils.” The thought runs through the centuries: Geoffrey Chaucer expressed it in the fourteenth century, writing that as time wounds people, so time cures them. From these old roots the simple modern proverb “time heals all wounds” has become one of the most familiar of all consolations.
Examples in a Sentence
- “The grief is raw now, but time heals all wounds.”
- “After the break-up she kept telling herself that time heals all wounds.”
- “Give it a few months — time heals all wounds.”
Similar Proverbs
- Time is a great healer — the same idea in slightly different words.
- This too shall pass — no painful state lasts forever.
- Tomorrow is another day — fresh hope comes with time.
- What can’t be cured must be endured — bear the pain patiently while time works.
For more sayings about time and healing, see our time proverbs and the full library of proverbs and their meanings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “time heals all wounds” mean?
It means that emotional pain and grief gradually fade and become easier to bear as time passes.
Where does the proverb come from?
The idea is ancient — the Greek playwright Menander expressed it around 300 BC, and Chaucer echoed it in the fourteenth century.
What is a similar proverb?
“Time is a great healer” and “this too shall pass” share the same comforting message that pain eases with time.