200+ Strong Women Quotes to Inspire and Share

Prepare yourself for a dose of woman power! These inspiring woman quotes are sure to inspire you to tackle whatever life puts in front of you.

No matter who you are, it takes guts to chase after a dream, stand up against injustice or stick to your convictions–especially in the face of adversity or different beliefs. Women are especially entitled to be praised for their determination when they’ve fought for their rights or made themselves their own advocates in challenging times. This is why we’re here to show our appreciation and share the most inspiring quotes that inspire strong women!

For many women have the experience of feel stifled by other peoples’ perceptions or expectations or relegated to stereotypes about gender at least at some point throughout their life. But that doesn’t mean women have stayed away from these issues. Sometimes, despite every expectation, women have increased their motivation and drive to do an amazing feat. Some say this may look as if they are training for a particular sport in the hopes of being the top competitor. For others, it’s as a fight for change in the political system to improve the lives of people who aren’t even close to them. For some seeking to find a sense of empowerment through embracing difficult seasons and challenges.

While the personal circumstances of each woman may vary but one thing is certain: women are strong and brave. These quotes on strong women are incredibly motivating regardless of what stage you’re in your life. If you’ve thought of strength as your most valuable asset for some time or are just getting started with a fresh more positive view of yourself and your abilities–these 200 quotes about strong women will inspire you!

200+ Inspirational Quotes for Strong Women

“A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle.” – Gloria Steinem

“For most of history, Anonymous was a woman.” – Virginia Woolf

“When I’m good, I’m very good. But when I’m bad, I’m better.” – Mae West

“God is within her, she will not fall.” – Psalm 46:5

“She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.” – Proverbs 31:25

“By the grace of God, I am what I am.” – 1 Corinthians 15:10

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” – Psalm 139:14

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9

“Declare over yourself: ‘God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.’” – 2 Tim 1:7

“I have bursts of being a lady, but it doesn’t last long.” – Shelley Winters

“If you always do what interests you, at least one person is pleased.” – Katharine Hepburn

“I don’t mind living in a man’s world as long as I can be a woman in it.” – Marilyn Monroe

“A woman is like a tea bag: You can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong, I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles.” – Audrey Hepburn

“Women are like teabags. We don’t know our true strength until we are in hot water.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“You must know that you can do this. You are strong. And you will make it. Just hang on and keep believing in yourself, always.” – Heather A. Stillufsen

“A really strong woman accepts the war she went through and is ennobled by her scars.” – Carly Simon

“The question isn’t who’s going to let me; it’s who’s going to stop me.” – Ayn Rand

“Always aim high, work hard, and care deeply about what you believe in. And, when you stumble, keep faith. And, when you’re knocked down, get right back up and never listen to anyone who says you can’t or shouldn’t go on.” – Hillary Rodham Clinton

“I may be the first woman member of Congress, but I won’t be the last.” – Jeannette Rankin

“Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.” – Maya Angelou

“Women have always been the strong ones of the world.” – Coco Chanel

“You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it’s right.” – Rosa Parks

“Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg

“Sometimes I wonder if men and women really suit each other. Perhaps they should live next door and just visit now and then.” – Katharine Hepburn

“I married beneath me. All women do.” – Nancy Astor

“Why is it that men are permitted to be obsessed about their work, but women are only permitted to be obsessed about men?” – Barbra Streisand

“A strong woman stands up for herself. A stronger woman stands up for everybody else.” – Unknown

“We are here, not because we are lawbreakers; we are here in our efforts to be law-makers.” – Emmeline Pankhurst, “My Own Story”

“What I want young women and girls to know is: You are powerful and your voice matters.” –  Kamala Harris

“I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.” –  Angela Davis

“And one day she discovered that she was fierce, and strong, and full of fire, and that not even she could hold herself back because her passion burned brighter than her fears.” – Mark Anthony

“She was a wild one; always stomping on eggshells that everyone else tip-toed on.” – Kaitlin Foster

“She was powerful not because she wasn’t scared but because she went on so strongly, despite the fear.” – Atticus

“One of the most courageous things you can do is identify yourself, know who you are, what you believe in and where you want to go.” – Sheila Murray Bethel

“Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold.” – Helen Keller

“I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.” – Rosa Parks

“A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it’s in hot water.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“Life is very interesting… in the end, some of your greatest pains, become your greatest strengths.” –  Drew Barrymore

“I had to remind myself of the truth of who I was and the reality that success wasn’t defined by a result but by faithfulness. I had to remember that my identity and healing weren’t dependent on the voices that surrounded me and that the truth wasn’t dependent on popular opinion or cultural responses. I had to focus on what was real and true. The straight line instead of the crooked.” –  Rachael Denhollander

“There are two powers in the world; one is the sword and the other is the pen. There is a third power stronger than both, that of women.” – Malala Yousafzai

“I say if I’m beautiful. I say if I’m strong. You will not determine my story- I will.” – Amy Schumer

“Well-behaved women seldom make history.” –  Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

“Am I good enough? Yes, I am.” – Michelle Obama, “Becoming”

“I have as much muscle as any man, and can do as much work as any man.” –  Sojourner Truth, “Ain’t I A Woman?”

“Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace.” –  Amelia Earhart, “Courage”

“Her own thoughts and reflections were habitually her best companions.” –  Jane Austen, “Mansfield Park”

“They’ll tell you you’re too loud, that you need to wait your turn and ask the right people for permission. Do it anyway.” – Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

“I am my own experiment. I am my own work of art.” – Madonna

“When girls are given the right tools to succeed, they can create incredible futures, not only for themselves but also for those around them.” – Meghan Markle

“Develop enough courage so that you can stand up for yourself and then stand up for somebody else.” – Maya Angelou

“A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform.” – Diane Mariechild

“We realize the importance of our voices only when they are silenced.” – Malala Yousafzai

“Never apologize for being a powerful woman.” – Unknown

“The world needs strong women. Women who will lift and build others, who will love and be loved, women who live bravely, both tender and fierce, women of indomitable will.” – Amy Tenney

“Each time a woman stands up for herself, she stands up for all women.” – Maya Angelou

“We need women at all levels, including the top, to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women’s voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored.” – Sheryl Sandberg

“A strong woman is a woman determined to do something others are determined not be done.” – Marge Piercy

“I figure, if a girl wants to be a legend, she should go ahead and be one.” – Calamity Jane

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” –  Helen Keller

“The energy you’ll expend focusing on someone else’s life is better spent working on your own. Just be your own idol.” – Sophia Amoruso

“Ignore the glass ceiling and do your work. If you’re focusing on the glass ceiling, focusing on what you don’t have, focusing on the limitations, then you will be limited.” – Ava DuVernay

“If you can dance and be free and be embarrassed, you can rule the world.” – Amy Poehler

“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” – Maya Angelou

“The woman who doesn’t require validation from anyone is the most feared individual on the planet.” – Mohadesa Najumi

“Be happy with being you. Love your flaws. Own your quirks.” – Ariana Grande

“You don’t have to be pretty. You don’t owe prettiness to anyone. Prettiness is not a rent you pay for occupying a space marked ‘female.'” – Erin McKean

“I love hearing educated people speak and just shut everyone up. Knowledge is always the loudest voice.” – Zendaya

“Perhaps some detours aren’t detours at all. Perhaps they are actually the path.” – Katherine Wolf

“I think it takes a strong man to be in a relationship with a strong woman. A lot of people hear the word ‘diva’ and think of it as a negative. I see it as a positive. I want somebody who knows what they want out of life and isn’t afraid to show it.” – Nick Cannon

“Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition.” – Marilyn Monroe

“The day will come when men will recognize woman as his peer, not only at the fireside, but in councils of the nation. Then, and not until then, will there be the perfect comradeship, the ideal union between the sexes that shall result in the highest development of the race.” – Susan B. Anthony

“Be a first-rate version of yourself, not a second-rate version of someone else.” – Judy Garland

“Once you figure out what respect tastes like, it tastes better than attention.” – Pink

“A strong woman understands that the gifts such as logic, decisiveness, and strength are just as feminine as intuition and emotional connection. She values and uses all of her gifts.” – Nancy Rathburn

“You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through.” – Rosalynn Carter

“Be strong enough to stand alone, smart enough to know when you need help, and brave enough to ask for it.” – Ziad K. Abdelnour

“Figure out who are you separate from your family, and the man or woman you’re in a relationship with. Find who you are in this world and what you need to feel good alone. I think that’s the most important thing in life. Find a sense of self. With that, you can do anything else.” – Angelina Jolie

“The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in places no one has ever been before.” – Albert Einstein

“Don’t let anyone speak for you, and don’t rely on others to fight for you.” – Michelle Obama

“It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.” – Madeleine Albright

“Behind every great woman … is another great woman.” – Kate Hodges

“I’m not going to limit myself just because people won’t accept the fact that I can do something else.”- Dolly Parton

“Some leaders are born women.” – Geraldine Ferraro

“A woman with a voice is by definition a strong woman.” – Melinda French Gates

“Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood.” – Marie Curie

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” – Helen Keller, “Let Us Have Faith”

“As women achieve power, the barriers will fall.” – Sandra Day O’Connor, “Women in Power”

“I am thankful for my struggle because, without it, I wouldn’t have stumbled across my strength.” – Alex Elle

“Once I learned to like me more than others did, then I didn’t have to worry about being the funniest or the most popular or the prettiest. I was the best me and I only ever tried to be that.” – Issa Rae

“I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.” – Anne Frank

“The most important thing one woman can do for another is expand her sense of actual possibilities.” – Adrienne Rich

“She is water. Strong enough to drown you, soft enough to cleanse you, and deep enough to save you.” – Rupi Kaur

“You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.” – Maya Angelou

“You should never let your fears prevent you from doing what you know is right.” – Aung San Suu Kyi

“The question isn’t who’s going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” – Ayn Rand

“You don’t have to play masculine to be a strong woman.” – Mary Elizabeth Winstead

“Life is tough, my darling, but so are you.” – Stephanie Bennett-Henry

“Champions keep playing until they get it right.” – Billie Jean King

“You have to believe in yourself when no one else does.” – Serena Williams

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“Don’t follow the crowd, let the crowd follow you.” – Margaret Thatcher

“Am I good enough? Yes, I am.” – Michelle Obama

“My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant be your own person, be independent.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg

“My daily challenge to myself is to be part of the solution, to be a joyful warrior in the battle to come.” – Kamala Harris

“For one thing we know beyond all doubt: Nothing has ever been achieved by the person who says, ‘It can’t be done.’” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“The future of life as we know it is being determined by everything we’re doing –  and not doing. Now.” – Oprah Winfrey

“When I dare to be powerful –  to use my strength in the service of my vision –  then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” – Audre Lorde

“She needed a hero. So that’s what she became.” – Unknown

“Whatever the problem, be part of the solution.” – Tina Fey

“We need women who are so strong they can be gentle, so educated they can be humble, so fierce they can be compassionate, so passionate they can be rational, and so disciplined they can be free.” – Kavita Ramdas

“Strong women don’t play the victim. Don’t make themselves look pitiful and don’t point fingers. They stand and they deal.” – Mandy Hale

“I just love bossy women. I could be around them all day. To me, bossy is not a pejorative term at all. It means somebody’s passionate and engaged and ambitious and doesn’t mind learning.” – Amy Poehler

“A woman with a voice is by definition a strong woman. But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult.” – Melinda Gates

“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and, above all, confidence in ourselves. We must believe we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” – Marie Curie

“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” – Nora Ephron

“Doubt is a killer. You just have to know who you are and what you stand for.” – Jennifer Lopez

“I’ve come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that’s as unique as a fingerprint – and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you.” – Oprah Winfrey

“Take criticism seriously, but not personally. If there is truth or merit in the criticism, try to learn from it. Otherwise, let it roll right off you.” – Hillary Clinton

“Women are leaders everywhere you look- from the CEO who runs a Fortune 500 company to the housewife who raises her children and heads her household. Our country was built by strong women, and we will continue to break down walls and defy stereotypes.” – Nancy Pelosi

“I’d rather regret the risks that didn’t work out than the chances I didn’t take at all.” – Simone Biles

“The one person who will never leave us, whom we will never lose, is ourself. Learning to love our female selves is where our search for love must begin.” – Bell Hooks

“I don’t want to be better than you or her or him – I want to be better than I am right now.” –  Kerri Walsh

“Work hard every day. No matter what your strengths and weaknesses, there’s no substitute for hard work.” – Hope Solo

“I love challenging the status quo.” – Sara Ramirez

“I can if I want to because it’s my business.” – Tabitha Brown

“Be courageous. Challenge orthodoxy. Stand up for what you believe in. When you are in your rocking chair talking to your grandchildren many years from now, be sure you have a good story to tell.” – Amal Clooney

“True champions aren’t always the ones that win, but those with the most guts.” – Mia Hamm

“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line.” – Lucille Ball

“Don’t mistake politeness for lack of strength.” – Sonia Sotomayor, “My Beloved World”

“I am a woman’s rights.” – Sojourner Truth, “Ain’t I A Woman?”

“If you do what interests you, at least one person is pleased.” – Katharine Hepburn

“Ignite the mind’s spark to rise the sun in you.” – Florence Nightingale

“Being a strong woman is very important to me. But doing it all on my own is not.” – Reba McEntire

“We might not be able to change our circumstances, but we CAN change our attitude.” –  Beth Moore

“People have to go through things in order to become the person that they are today and that’s that.” – Sarah Hyland

“Stand for something or you will fall for anything. Today’s mighty oak is yesterday’s nut that held its ground.” – Rosa Parks

“I am like a falling star who has finally found her place next to another in a lovely constellation, where we will sparkle in the heavens forever.” – Amy Tan

“It’s not about being perfect. It’s not about where you get yourself in the end. There’s power in allowing yourself to be known and heard, in owning your unique story, in using your authentic voice.” – Michelle Obama, “Becoming”

“In politics, If you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman.” –  Margaret Thatcher

“How shall we explain to them the meaning of democracy if the same Congress that voted for war to make the world safe for democracy refuses to give this small measure of democracy to the women of our country?” – Jeannette Rankin

“The love expressed between women is particular and powerful because we have had to love in order to live; love has been our survival.” – Audre Lorde, “Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches”

“We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” – Marie Curie

“It has taken 232 years and 115 prior appointments for a Black woman to be selected to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States, but we’ve made it! We’ve made it – all of us.” –  Ketanji Brown Jackson, Supreme Court confirmation speech

“The easiest way to disregard a woman’s voice is to package her as a scold.” – Michelle Obama, “Becoming”

“Alone she goes to the gates of death to give life to every man that is born into the world.” –  Elizabeth Stanton, “Solitude of Self”

“The problems of our time will be solved only when all of the best mind, conscience and talent in the community are brought to their solution.” – Jane Addams, “Speech on Woman Suffrage”

“Women, whether subtly or vociferously, have always been a tremendous power in the destiny of the world.” – Eleanor Roosevelt, “It’s Up to the Women”

“Life is about finding yourself, embracing your strengths and weaknesses, and being true to who you are.” – Oprah Winfrey

“A strong woman builds her own world. She is one who is wise enough to know that it will attract the man she will gladly share it with” – Ellen J. Barrier

“We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.” – Malala Yousafzai

“I would rather be handsome for an hour than pretty for a week.” – Tilda Swinton

“Because I am a woman, I must make unusual efforts to succeed. If I fail, no one will say, “She doesn’t have what it takes.” They will say, “Women don’t have what it takes.” – Clare Boothe Luce

“Take care of yourself now that you’re old enough to know how. Drink water, sleep eight hours (I wish), and don’t go within 400 feet of a tanning booth or I’ll slap you. Hard.” – Olivia Wilde

“Every girl and every woman, has the potential to make this world a better place, and that potential lies in the act of thinking higher thoughts and feeling deeper things. When women and girls, everywhere, begin to see themselves as more than inanimate objects; but as beautiful beings capable of deep feelings and high thoughts, this has the capacity to create change all around. The kind of change that is for the better.” – C. JoyBell C.

“Instead of looking at the past, I put myself ahead twenty years and try to look at what I need to do now in order to get there then.” – Diana Ross

“If you can dance and be free and not embarrassed, you can rule the world.” –  Amy Pohler

“I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles.” – Audrey Hepburn

“If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then you are an excellent leader.” – Dolly Parton

“A woman with a voice is by definition a strong woman, but the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult.” – Melinda Gates

“If you don’t see a clear path for what you want, sometimes you have to make it yourself.” –  Mindy Kaling

“I chose to tell myself a different story from the one women are told. I decided I was safe. I was strong. I was brave. Nothing could vanquish me.” – Cheryl Strayed

“They’ll tell you you’re too loud, that you need to wait your turn and ask the right people for permission. Do it anyway.” – Alexandria Ocasio Cortez

“We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.” – Maya Angelou

“Women, whether subtly or vociferously, have always been a tremendous power in the destiny of the world.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“It’s not about being perfect. It’s not about where you get yourself in the end. There’s power in allowing yourself to be known and heard, in owning your unique story, in using your authentic voice.” – Michelle Obama

“I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.” – Estée Lauder

“A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman.” – Melinda Gates

“I try to live in a little bit of my own joy and not let people steal it or take it.” –  Hoda Kotb

“Life is very interesting… in the end, some of your greatest pains become your greatest strengths.” –  Drew Barrymore

“Feminism isn’t about making women stronger. Women are already strong. It’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength.” – G.D. Anderson

“I can never be safe; I always try and go against the grain. As soon as I accomplish one thing, I just set a higher goal. That’s how I’ve gotten to where I am.” – Beyoncé

“No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars or sailed to an uncharted land.” –  Helen Keller, “Optimism: An Essay”

“When you get into a tight place, and everything goes against you till it seems as if you couldn’t hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that’s just the place and time that the tide will turn.” –  Harriet Beecher Stowe, “Oldtown Folks”

“As society sees what women can do, as women see what women can do, there will be more women out there doing things, and we’ll all be better off for it.”  –  Sandra Day O’Connor, “Women in Power”

“Chance is the first step you take, luck is what comes afterward.” –  Amy Tan, “The Kitchen God’s Wife”

“I like being a strong, independent woman, and to be honest, I was never afraid to be on my own.” –  Dido Armstrong

“Because I am a woman, I must make unusual efforts to succeed. If I fail, no one will say, ‘She doesn’t have what it takes.’ They will say, ‘Women don’t have what it takes.'” – Clare Boothe Luce

“Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.” – Oprah Winfrey

“There will be people who say to you, ‘You are out of your lane.’ They are burdened by only having the capacity to see what has always been instead of what can be. But don’t you let that burden you.” – Vice President Kamala Harris

“Everyone has inside of her a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be, how much you can love, what you can accomplish, and what your potential is.” – Anne Frank

“Own yourself, woman.” – Toni Morrison, “Beloved”

“Women are like tea bags. You never know how strong they are until they are in hot water.” –  Eleanor Roosevelt

“If you live for people’s acceptance, you’ll die from their rejections.” – Lecrae

“We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated.” – Maya Angelou

“Security is mostly a superstition. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” – Helen Keller

“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.” – Amelia Earhart

“The most important thing is to enjoy your life-to be happy-it’s all that matters.” – Audrey Hepburn

“I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took any excuse.” – Florence Nightingale

“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” – Alice Walker

“Find ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is joy enough.” – Emily Dickinson

“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” – Oprah Winfrey

“Life is short, and it is up to you to make it sweet.” – Sarah Louise Delany

“If we understood the power of our thoughts, we would guard them more closely. If we understood the awesome power of our words, we would prefer silence to almost anything negative. In our thoughts and words, we create our own weaknesses and our own strengths. Our limitations and joys begin in our hearts. We can always replace negative with positive.” – Betty Eadie

“Nothing liberates our greatness like the desire to help, the desire to serve.” – Marianne Williamson

“I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.” – Rosa Parks

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow.” – Mary Anne Radmacher

“When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe

“Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.” – Wilma Rudolph

“Hard work keeps the wrinkles out of the mind and spirit.” – Helena Rubinstein.

“Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.” – Ella Fitzgerald

Conclusion

Everyone on the planet experiences times where they feel like they’re not themselves and wonder about their motives or value. It’s not just you. Women who are strong remind themselves that they were specially designed for a certain goal in this world and are the only ones to achieve that purpose. They are confident that they can accomplish anything they set their minds to, and inspire others to realize their full potential.