115 Best Petty People Quotes (with Commentary)

Petty people quotes offer insight into the behaviors of those who focus on insignificant issues and create extreme drama.

These quotes reflect the effect of jealousy, insecurity, and immaturity, which often lead people to engage in small-minded or spiteful actions.

Petty behavior can be seen in gossip, resentments, and manipulation, which makes it important to recognize and avoid these traits in yourself and others.

Top Petty People Quotes

Petty people often dwell on trivial matters, creating unnecessary drama and tension. These quotes explore the nature of pettiness and the ways to rise above it, focusing instead on growth, kindness, and self-awareness.

“Revenge is always the delight of a little weak and petty mind.”Juvenal

“Small minds discuss people, average minds discuss events, and great minds discuss ideas.”Eleanor Roosevelt

“It is not true that suffering ennobles the character; happiness does that sometimes, but suffering for the most part, makes men petty and vindictive.”W. Somerset Maugham

“When you are actually powerful, you don’t need to be petty.”Jon Stewart

“A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person.”Dave Barry

“Petty thievery is a more profitable job than pool hustling, which it resembles, requires far less talent and training, and is equally devoid of promise.”Robert Byrne

“People who have no lives will always try to start drama in yours.”Trent Shelton

“The ego is what drives a self-serving individual who hates to admit they are wrong.”Suzy Kassem

“Remember, always give your best. Never get discouraged. Never be petty. Always remember, others may hate you. But those who hate you don’t win unless you hate them. And then you destroy yourself.”Richard M. Nixon

“Petty minds are easily entertained by petty things.”Michael Bassey Johnson

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Petty People Quotes on Drama and Conflict

Petty people often thrive on drama, using conflict as a way to gain attention or feel powerful. These quotes highlight the ways in which drama can be avoided by focusing on personal growth, peace, and maturity.

“Drama doesn’t just walk into your life. Either you create it, invite it, or associate with it.”Unknown

“Some people create their own storms and then complain when it rains.”Maya Angelou

“Silence is better than unnecessary drama.”Unknown

“I refuse to entertain petty drama. My time is too important for that.”Unknown

“Just because some people’s lives are fueled by drama doesn’t mean you have to attend the performance.”Unknown

“Be disciplined about what you give your energy.”Oprah Winfrey

“There comes a time in life when you have to walk away from the drama and all the people who create it.”Anonymous

“If it costs you your peace, it’s too expensive.”Anonymous

“You smell like drama and a headache. Please get away from me.”Trent Shelton

“Weak people revenge. Strong people forgive. Intelligent people ignore.”Albert Einstein

Petty People Quotes on Jealousy and Envy

Jealousy and envy are emotions that often drive petty behavior, leading to conflict and dissatisfaction. These quotes provide insight into the destructive nature of jealousy, reminding us to focus on self-growth rather than comparison.

“Envy is ignorance, imitation is suicide.”Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Envy blinds men and makes it impossible for them to think clearly.”Malcolm X

“Jealousy is a disease. Get well soon.”Unknown

“The thermometer of success is merely the jealousy of the malcontents.”Salvador Dali

“Jealousy, that dragon which slays love under the pretense of keeping it alive.”Havelock Ellis

“The envious person grows lean with the fatness of their neighbor.”Socrates

“Jealousy injures us with the dagger of self-doubt.”Terri Guillemets

“It’s amazing the clarity that comes with psychotic jealousy.”Rupert Everett

“What is jealousy but a reflection of your own failures?”Michael Connelly

“Sometimes people hate you not because you did something wrong but because you’re better than them and they cannot beat you.”Shannon L. Alder

Petty People Quotes on Insecurity and Self-Esteem

Insecurity often fuels pettiness, causing people to belittle others to feel superior. These quotes highlight how insecurity can manifest in destructive ways and emphasize the importance of self-esteem and self-awareness.

“A competent and self-confident person is incapable of jealousy in anything. Jealousy is invariably a symptom of neurotic insecurity.”Robert A. Heinlein

“Insecure people only eclipse your sun because they’re jealous of your daylight and tired of their dark, starless nights.”Shannon L. Alder

“Most haters are stuck in a poisonous mental prison of jealousy and self-doubt that blinds them to their own potentiality.”Steve Maraboli

“Jealousy is but a fool’s act of chivalry.”Raneem Kayyali

“Jealousy really weakens you a lot.”Srinivas Mishra

“A jealous person talks to everyone but YOU.”Shannon L. Alder

“The only thing more frustrating than slanderers is those foolish enough to listen to them.”Criss Jami

“People that are jealous and envious of you are too lazy to step up their own game.”April Mae Monterrosa

“The real lover of mankind is he who is jealous of none.”Swami Vivekananda

“Jealousy is the symptom of a hollow heart.”Anoir Ou-Chad

Petty People Quotes on Holding Grudges

Holding grudges consumes a great deal of energy, often harming the person bearing it more than the one being resented. These quotes reflect the weight of grudges and encourage letting go to free oneself from bitterness and negativity.

“Grudges seldom hurt anyone except the one bearing them.”Sherrilyn Kenyon

“To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.”Confucius

“Resentment or grudges do no harm to the person against whom you hold these feelings, but every day and every night of your life, they are eating at you.”Norman Vincent Peale

“Holding a grudge is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.”Anne Lamott

“Life is too short to hold grudges or anything like that.”Ant McPartlin

“Holding grudges will only destroy yourself. To forgive will cleanse it.”Mark McCallister

“The grudge you hold on to is like a hot coal that you intend to throw at someone; only you’re the one who gets burned.”Gautama Buddha

“Grudges are for those who insist they are owed something; forgiveness, however, is for those who are substantial enough to move on.”Criss Jami

“When you hold a grudge, you want someone else’s sorrow to reflect your level of hurt, but the two rarely meet.”Steve Maraboli

“Stop holding grudges against yourself. Quit thinking about what you could have done and let go.”Jennifer LeClaire

Petty People Quotes on Manipulation and Control

Petty individuals often manipulate situations and people to maintain control. These quotes explore how manipulation is fueled by insecurity, selfishness, and a desire for dominance, urging people to rise above such behavior.

“People love to degrade others for their mistakes to fulfill their inner will in order to feel more noteworthy.”Aditi Dufare

“Insecure people only eclipse your sun because they’re jealous of your daylight and tired of their dark, starless nights.”Shannon L. Alder

“The only thing more frustrating than slanderers is those foolish enough to listen to them.”Criss Jami

“Manipulative people often make others feel like they are constantly walking on eggshells.”Liane Leedom

“People that are jealous and envious of you are too lazy to step up their own game.”April Mae Monterrosa

“Controlling people try to make you feel small to make themselves feel bigger.”Unknown

“Petty people are vindictive, always seeking to get even over the smallest slights.”Bolde

“Manipulators will accuse you of the very thing they are guilty of to distract you from their own behavior.”Anonymous

“If someone always seems to be keeping score and itching to settle it, that’s petty behavior in action.”Piper Ryan

“Manipulation is emotional control disguised as care.”Anonymous

Petty People Quotes on Toxic Relationships

Toxic relationships can drain your emotional energy and leave you feeling diminished. These quotes emphasize the importance of recognizing when a relationship is unhealthy and having the courage to move on for your own well-being.

“Bravery is leaving a toxic relationship and knowing that you deserve better.”Unknown

“You create more space in your life when you turn your excess baggage into garbage.”Chinonye J. Chidolue

“It is better for someone to break your heart once by leaving your life than for them to stay in your life and break your heart continually.”Terry Mark

“Controllers, abusers, and manipulative people don’t question themselves. They always say the problem is someone else.”Darlene Quimet

“It’s better to be healthy alone than sick with someone else.”Phil McGraw

“Just because someone desires you, does not mean that he values you.”Julianne Cantarella

“You can’t change someone who doesn’t see an issue with their actions.”Unknown

“Some of the most poisonous people come disguised as friends and family.”Unknown

“The best way to move forward is to let go of the people holding you back.”Unknown

“Losing will not always amount to a loss; sometimes you have to lose those toxic relationships to create space for better things.”Gift Gugu Mona

Petty People Quotes on Wasting Energy

Petty people often waste their energy focusing on trivial matters, grudges, and unhealthy behaviors. These quotes encourage letting go of petty actions and instead directing energy towards growth, positivity, and peace of mind.

“Hanging around small-minded people eventually makes us small-minded.”Torron-Lee Dewar

“The less you respond to negative people, the more peaceful your life will become.”Shannon L. Alder

“Holding grudges is like letting someone live rent-free in your head.”Unknown

“It’s amazing how quickly things turn around when you remove toxic people from your life.”Robert Tew

“Don’t waste your time with explanations; people only hear what they want to hear.”Paulo Coelho

“Life is too short to spend with people who suck the happiness out of you.”Unknown

“Don’t let toxic people infect your mind. Instead, focus on nurturing positive energy.”Farshad Asl

“Regret is a waste of energy; it only holds you back.”Katherine Mansfield

“Pay no attention to toxic words. What people say is often a reflection of themselves, not you.”Christian Baloga

“Wasting energy on people who don’t care only drains you of your own potential.”Steve Maraboli

Petty People Quotes on Gossip and Backstabbing

Gossip and backstabbing are behaviors that can damage relationships and trust. These quotes highlight the insidious nature of gossip and betrayal, reminding us that those who engage in such behavior often reveal more about themselves than the people they speak of.

“Gossip is saying behind their back what you wouldn’t say to their face. Flattery is saying to their face what you wouldn’t say behind their back.”Unknown

“It is just as cowardly to judge an absent person as it is wicked to strike a defenseless one. Only the ignorant and narrow-minded gossip, for they speak of persons instead of things.”Lawrence G. Lovasik

“The saddest part of betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies but from those you trust the most.”Unknown

“Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.”Eleanor Roosevelt

“Some people are willing to betray years of friendship just to get a little bit of the spotlight.”Lauren Conrad

“It’s better to have an enemy who admits they hate you than a friend who secretly backstabs you.”Unknown

“Backstabbers will pretend to be your friend, but their true allegiance lies only with themselves.”Unknown

“A true friend will never betray your trust, but a backstabber will do it without a second thought.”Unknown

“Watch who you call friend, because friends are the same ones that will leak your business to everyone after y’all are not friends anymore.”Ritu Ghatourey

“You got nothing to lose. You don’t lose when you lose fake friends.”Joan Jett

Petty People Quotes on Immaturity and Growth

Petty behavior often stems from emotional immaturity and a refusal to grow. These quotes inspire reflection on how rising above pettiness can lead to personal growth and emotional maturity.

“Revenge is always the delight of a little weak and petty mind.”Juvenal

“Feeling petty and frustrated can have reverberating consequences for your ability to think strategically and reach your goals.”Robert Greene

“People become petty when they are insecure about their own worth and feel the need to drag others down.”Unknown

“Never be petty. Let the small minds talk, while you focus on growth and wisdom.”Unknown

“One will seldom go wrong if one attributes extreme actions to vanity, average ones to habit, and petty ones to fear.”Friedrich Nietzsche

“Narrow-mindedness will only get you as far as Nowhere, and once you’re there, you’re lost forever.”Tahereh Mafi

“Men are separated by so many petty things.”Aaron Huey

“You don’t have to knock anyone off their game to win yours. It doesn’t build you up to tear others down.”Mandy Hale

“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”George Bernard Shaw

“It is never too late to give up your prejudices.”Henry David Thoreau

Petty People Quotes on Forgiveness and Letting Go

Forgiveness allows us to free ourselves from the grip of negativity and bitterness. Petty behavior thrives on grudges, but letting go is the true path to inner peace. These quotes offer wisdom on how forgiveness can lead to healing and growth.

“Grudges are for those who insist that they are owed something; forgiveness, however, is for those who are substantial enough to move on.”Criss Jami

“To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.”Confucius

“Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuffs of hatred.”Corrie Ten Boom

“The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, you cannot move forward.”Steve Maraboli

“Forgiveness means it finally becomes unimportant that you hit back.”Anne Lamott

“Forgiveness is not always easy. At times, it feels more painful than the wound we suffered, but without forgiveness, there is no peace.”Marianne Williamson

“When we forgive, we are freed from the chains of bitterness and can begin to heal.”Gerald G. Jampolsky

“Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.”Corrie Ten Boom

“Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”Buddha

“The art of living is letting go of the past while embracing the present.”Alan Watts

Petty People Quotes on Rising Above Petty Behavior

Petty behavior often holds us back from true growth. Rising above trivial matters and focusing on what truly matters in life reflects emotional maturity. These quotes inspire leaving behind pettiness for a life centered on peace and progress.

“Revenge is always the delight of a little weak and petty mind.”Juvenal

“Feeling petty and frustrated can hinder your ability to think strategically and reach your goals.”Robert Greene

“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”George Bernard Shaw

“You don’t have to knock anyone off their game to win yours. It doesn’t build you up to tear others down.”Mandy Hale

“Narrow-mindedness will only get you as far as Nowhere, and once you’re there, you’re lost forever.”Tahereh Mafi

“Holding onto resentment is like letting someone live rent-free in your head.”Unknown

“It’s amazing how quickly things turn around when you remove toxic people from your life.”Robert Tew

“When you stop chasing the wrong things, you give the right things a chance to catch you.”Lolly Daskal

“The less you respond to negative people, the more peaceful your life will become.”Shannon L. Alder

“Don’t waste energy on trivial matters. Focus on the things that truly bring you peace and happiness.”Paulo Coelho

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Final Thoughts

Quotes about petty people remind you of the importance of emotional maturity and personal development.

They encourage you to avoid getting drawn into unimportant conflicts and instead concentrate on the bigger picture.

Rising above pettiness not just preserves your energy but also allows you to build healthier and more positive relationships.