What does it mean to be loyal? Although it’s often defined as support or allegiance, loyalty could be described as invisible glue. It can’t be seen, but it’s a force that can bind people together. Often, it’s discussed in the vein of romantic relationships or friendships, because it’s essential to these types of connections. These bonds are fueled by that dedication, mutual respect, honesty—and above all else—the simple act of being there for one another, come rain or shine.
Loyalty can also be a powerful force in other relationships, though, as well as organizations or ideologies. You can be loyal to your job and co-workers. You can show loyalty toward your country or religion. You can be loyal to a specific social cause or even to a sports team (despite their disheartening losing streak).
We’ve gathered a robust list of loyalty quotes that help define the role it plays in all areas of our lives. They can inspire us to form more meaningful, trustworthy relationships and to continue nurturing our devotion for the things that really matter.
Meaningful Loyalty Quotes to Make Us Think
We’re starting off strong with a batch of loyalty and respect quotes. These thought-provoking sayings discuss the topic of loyalty from every angle. Author John Grogan shares what we can learn from the trait of a dog’s unconditional love, while others explain what it looks like to be loyal to those around you. Some even explore the potential difficulties that can arise from blind loyalty. No matter the stance, these famous quotes on loyalty are bound to make you stop and ponder.
- “If put to the pinch, an ounce of loyalty is worth a pound of cleverness.” —Elbert Hubbard, Get Out or Get in Line
- “‘A person can learn a lot from a dog, even a loopy one like ours, ’ I wrote. ‘Marley taught me about living each day with unbridled exuberance and joy, about seizing the moment and following your heart. He taught me to appreciate the simple things—a walk in the woods, a fresh snowfall, a nap in a shaft of winter sunlight. And as he grew old and achy, he taught me about optimism in the face of adversity. Mostly, he taught me about friendship and selflessness and, above all else, unwavering loyalty.’” —John Grogan, Marley and Me
- “All that comes from bribes or injustice will be wiped out, but loyalty remains for ages.” —New American Bible, Sirach 40:12
- “Without a central loyalty life is unfinished.” —Fulton J. Sheen, Seven Words of Jesus and Mary
- “As I’m getting older, I’m really learning unconditional love and loyalty are extremely important.” —Bindi Irwin
- “Loyalty is being there for someone. It’s selfless. It’s about standing by someone’s side even when you don’t want to.” —Julie Murphy, Dumplin’: Go Big or Go Home
- “There are few words that are harder to explain than ‘loyalty.’ It’s always regarded as a positive characteristic, because a lot of people would say that many of the best things people do for each other occur precisely because of loyalty. The only problem is that many of the very worst things we do to each other occur because of the same thing.” —Fredrik Backman, Beartown
- “I’d probably tell you that it’s easier to desire and pursue the attention of tens of millions of total strangers than it is to accept the love and loyalty of the people closest to us.” —William Gibson, Idoru
- “Sometimes, loyalty gets in the way of what you want to do. Sometimes, it’s not your secret to tell.” —Stephenie Meyer, New Moon
- “Be loyal to what you love, be true to the Earth, fight your enemies with passion and laughter.” —Edward Abbey
- “My whole thing is loyalty. Loyalty over royalty, word is bond.” —Fetty Wap
- “Loyalty is the will to believe in something eternal, and to express that belief in the practical life of a human being.” —Josiah Royce, The Philosophy of Loyalty
Related: 40 Consistency Quotes to Help Kick-Start Your Future
Powerful Quotes About Loyalty, Honesty & Trust
Loyalty, honesty, trust. All three are closely integrated and are a vital part of successful relationships—from friendships to romantic partnerships to work alliances. Typically, it all starts with honesty. When you are truthful and dependable—continuing to show up every day and do the things you said you were going to do—that can build trust. Over time, continued honesty and trust can create loyalty, especially when paired with shared values and genuine care. The following quotes for loyalty and trust dive even deeper into the complex relationship between these ideals.
- “Honesty and loyalty are key. If two people can be honest with each other about everything, that’s probably the biggest key to success.” —Taylor Lautner
- “The foundation stones for a balanced success are honesty, character, integrity, faith, love and loyalty.” —Zig Ziglar
- “Loyalty is a noble quality, so long as it is not blind and does not exclude the higher loyalty to truth and decency.” —B.H. Liddell Hart, Why Don’t We Learn From History
- “Passion, friendship, love, loyalty, trust… if you found the right person… you really could have it all.” —S.C. Stephens, Reckless
- “Speaking truth to power is actually a form of loyalty.” —Richard N. Haass
- “Loyalty is my motto. When I give my word, you can trust me.” —Philippa Gregory, The Kingmaker’s Daughter
- “One of the most important ways to manifest integrity is to be loyal to those who are not present. In doing so, we build the trust of those who are present.” —Stephen R. Covey
- “Everybody wants loyalty, consistency and somebody who won’t quit. But everybody forgets that to get that person, you have to be that person.” —Natalie O’Rourke
- “I prefer honesty over loyalty any day, because with honesty comes loyalty.” —Colleen Hoover, It Starts With Us
Related: 30 Inspiring Quotes About Never Giving Up
Short Sayings On Being Loyal
In simple terms, loyalty is the feeling of devotion toward a person or cause. But it’s much more complex than that. The actions that support this feeling are critical. True loyalty involves not just saying you’re loyal, but demonstrating it through action. Mutual loyalty also involves reciprocation, and loyalty is often tied to that mutuality. These short loyalty quotes, written by SUCCESS® contributors, help to further define this message and demonstrate what it means to be loyal.
- “Loyal people are the best kind of people.”
- “True loyalty stands the test of time and weathers the storms.”
- “Once loyalty is built, do everything in your power to keep it.”
- “At the end of the day, it’s the people who were there for you when no one else was who matter most.”
- “Success in relationships, work and life starts with loyalty.”
- “Without loyalty, people are wild and aimless.”
- “The people and things you are loyal to say multitudes about your character.”
- “Surround yourself with trust and loyalty. You never know when you’ll desperately need that kind of support.”
- “Love without loyalty is hopeless.”
- “Loyalty means standing by with confetti to celebrate the highs and tissues to get through the lows.”
Uplifting Quotes About Friends’ Loyalty
Friends are the people we choose to share our lives with. They aren’t tied to us the way family is or imposed on us the way co-workers often are. That’s what makes friends so special, and one of the best ways to preserve these connections is through loyalty. This means supporting friends through the highs and lows and treating them with respect. We can build trust through honesty and dependability. The following “being loyal” quotes teach us even more about the value of true, genuine friendship.
- “It’s easy to be loyal to those you love.” —Christianna Brand, Green for Danger
- “I belong to the people I love, and they belong to me—they, and the love and loyalty I give them, form my identity far more than any word or group ever could.” —Veronica Roth, Allegiant
- “We have to recognise that there cannot be relationships unless there is commitment, unless there is loyalty, unless there is love, patience, persistence.” —Bell Hooks, Cornel West, Breaking Bread
- “There’s nothing like a really loyal, dependable, good friend. Nothing.” —Jennifer Aniston
- “There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.” —Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey
- “Loyalty and friendship, which is to me the same, created all the wealth that I’ve ever thought I’d have.” —Ernie Banks
- “Regard him as loyal, and you will make him loyal.” —Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Moral Letters to Lucilius
- “Loyalty to a friend is a virtue—perhaps the only virtue, the last remaining one.” —Milan Kundera, Encounter
- “You cannot get me to be disloyal to a friend. You just can’t do it. Loyalty is a part of what I live by. I didn’t say I was going to be loyal to my friend because he was right. I’m going to be loyal to my friend because he’s my friend.” —Jim Brown
- “Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses.” —Ann Landers
- “Without loyalty there can be no love. Without loyalty there can be no family. Without loyalty there can be no friendship. Without loyalty there can be no commitment to community or country. And without those things, there can be no society.” —Eric Felten, Loyalty: The Vexing Virtue
Loyalty Quotes for Work, Business & Leadership From SUCCESS®
The word loyalty pops up frequently in the business world. There is such a thing as brand loyalty, or product loyalty, that relates to consumers. On the opposite side, loyalty also needs to exist within a company for it to flourish. There is something powerful about a group of people trusting one another and working together toward a common goal. These business loyalty quotes from SUCCESS® further divulge what it means to be devoted to a company’s mission and how leaders can inspire loyalty through their own actions. However, they also warn against being too faithful to a company that may not have your back in return.
- “Just as true loyalty comes from feelings deep inside you, the power to inspire loyalty comes from deep inside as well. It’s fundamentally a question of the kind of person you choose to be.” —Sandy Rogers, Shawn Moon, Leena Rinne
- “I do not see how anyone can attain true peace of mind without having something to which they must show loyalty; someone to whom they must express loyalty at all times.” —John Wooden
- “Successful remote work needs to be supported by a lot of systems to combat proximity bias, ensure effective communication and build a sense of community and loyalty, and the truth is not every company can pull it off.” —Corina Ocanto
- “In sales, you should be the first to commit to the relationship, as a form of ‘paying it forward’ and betting on a good outcome. One way to assure that a relationship has high value is to give high value to it. If you want to be seen as important to the other person, then they need to see the benefits that come from staying connected with you. You can almost guarantee increased customer loyalty in your business when you practice this way.” —Jim Cathcart
- “Loyalty is everything. A company is built on people. If you don’t have people you can trust—people who are going to be loyal to you and your brand—you have nothing.” —Elizabeth Chambers
Build Trust & Deeper Connections With Loyalty Quotes
To be loyal is to be steadfast in your commitments, standing by people, causes and values regardless of challenges. When we consistently show up for people and present them with honesty and loyalty, they may be more likely to mirror that same behavior. This can build trust and deeper connections that can stand the test of time. Whether in friendships, love, work or society, loyalty is a thread that ties us together and helps us frame our lives in more meaningful ways.
Photo by PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock.
