150 Best Marilyn Monroe Quotes on Love and Life

Marilyn Monroe, born as Norma Jeane Mortenson in 1926, remains an iconic figure in pop culture.

Despite a tumultuous upbringing in foster care and an orphanage, Monroe became a notable sex symbol, achieving significant commercial success in the 1950s.

Monroe’s transition from a photographer’s model to a famed actress was marked by her signing a contract with Twentieth Century-Fox.

Marilyn Monroe

Her minor roles eventually led to star billing, with performances in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”, “How to Marry a Millionaire” and “There’s No Business Like Show Business”. Monroe’s fame skyrocketed and her marriage to baseball star Joe DiMaggio further spotlighted her life.

Later, her performances in “The Seven Year Itch” and “Bus Stop” established her as a talented comedian.

Related: Ava Gardner Quotes from the Popular American Actress and Lucille Ball Quotes from the Iconic Hollywood Actress

Her final film, “The Misfits”, earned her critical acclaim. Despite her premature death in 1962, Monroe’s legacy endures, her 23 films grossing over $200 million and her status as a cultural icon remaining unquestionable.

I have collected a list of top quotes by Marilyn Monroe for you.


Best Marilyn Monroe Quotes on Love

1. “Don’t stop when you’re tired; stop when you’re done.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

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2. “The sky is not the limit. Your mind is.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

3. “Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

4. “We are all of us stars, and we deserve to twinkle.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

5. “Who said nights were for sleep?” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

6. “It’s better to be unhappy alone than unhappy with someone.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

7. “I’m selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

8. “You never know what life is like, until you have lived it.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

9. “We should all start to live before we get too old. Fear is stupid. So are regrets.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

10. “I am good, but not an angel. I do sin, but I am not the devil. I am just a small girl in a big world trying to find someone to love.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

11. “I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they’re right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

12. “Boys think girls are like books, If the cover doesn’t catch their eye they won’t bother to read what’s inside.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

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13. “If you’re gonna be two-faced at least make one of them pretty.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

14. “All a girl really wants is for one guy to prove to her that they are not all the same.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

15. “Sometimes good things fall apart so better things could fall together.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

16. “If you can make a woman laugh, you can make her do anything.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

17. “A wise girl kisses but doesn’t love, listens but doesn’t believe, and leaves before she is left.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

18. “The real lover is the man who can thrill you by kissing your forehead or smiling into your eyes or just staring into space.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

19. “Ever notice how ‘What the hell’ is always the right answer?” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

20. “If I’d observed all the rules I’d never have got anywhere.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

21. “I don’t want to make money, I just want to be wonderful.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

22. “I don’t mind living in a man’s world, as long as I can be a woman in it.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

23. “Beneath the makeup and behind the smile, I am just a girl who wishes for the world.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

24. “Never regret anything because at one time it was exactly what you wanted.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

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25. “A career is wonderful, but you can’t curl up with it on a cold night.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

26. “Always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don’t, then who will, Sweetie? So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life’s a beautiful thing and there’s so much to smile about.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

27. “A wise girl knows her limits, a smart girl knows that she has none.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

28. “Keep smiling, because life is a beautiful thing and there’s so much to smile about.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

29. “No girl should ever forget that she doesn’t need anyone who doesn’t need her.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

30. “Within crisis, are the seeds of opportunity.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

Top Marilyn Monroe Quotes

31. “Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

32. “I believe this: You just do it. You force yourself to get up. You force yourself to put one foot before the other, and goddamn it, you refuse to let it get to you. you fight. you cry. You curse. Then you go about your business of living. That’s how I’ve done it. There’s no other way.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

33. “Always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don’t, then who will, sweetie?” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

34. “Fear is stupid. So are regrets.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

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35. “I restore myself when I’m alone.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

36. “Beauty only gets attention, but personality captures the heart.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

37. “I don’t forgive people because I’m weak, I forgive them because I am strong enough to know people make mistakes.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

38. “They will only care when you’re gone.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

39. “She was a girl who knew how to be happy even when she was sad. And that’s important – you know.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

40. “I live to succeed, not to please you or anyone else.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

41. “Always remember to smile and look up at what you got in life.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

42. “You’re the beautiful one. It’s a society that’s ugly.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

43. “I am trying to find myself. Sometimes that’s not easy.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

44. “The happiest time of my life is now.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

45. “What do I wear in bed? Why, Chanel No. 5, of course.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

46. “I said pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick, and pull yourself together.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

47. “The nicest thing for me is sleep, then at least I can dream.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

48. “I’ve never fooled anyone. I’ve let people fool themselves. They didn’t bother to find out who and what I was. Instead, they would invent a character for me. I wouldn’t argue with them. They were obviously loving somebody I wasn’t.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

49. “It’s all make believe, isn’t it?” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

50. “When it comes down to it, I let them think what they want. If they care enough to bother with what I do, then I’m already better than them.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

51. “I used to think as I looked out on the Hollywood night – there must be thousands of girls sitting alone like me, dreaming of becoming a movie star. But I’m not going to worry about them. I’m dreaming the hardest.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

52. “You know, most people really don’t know me.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

53. “There’s only one sort of natural blonde on earth – albinos.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

54. “That’s the story of my life; I always get the fuzzy end of the lollipop.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

55. “Some people have been unkind. If I say I want to grow as an actress, they look at my figure. If I say I want to develop, to learn my craft, they laugh. Somehow they don’t expect me to be serious about my work.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

56. “When it comes to gossip, I have to readily admit men are as guilty as women.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

57. “The trouble with censors is that they worry if a girl has cleavage. They ought to worry if she hasn’t any.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

58. “Happiness is the most important thing in the world, without it, you live a life of depression.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

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59. “I believe in everything – a little bit.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

60. “I’m the type of person that tries to fall back asleep in the morning just to finish a dream.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

61. “I sleep in the nude but I pull the sheets up.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

62. “Do people ever get over being shy? I think it’s with you for life-like the color of your eyes.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

63. “Don’t you know that a man being rich is like a girl being pretty? You wouldn’t marry a girl just because she’s pretty, but my goodness, doesn’t it help?” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

64. “I could have loved you once And said it But then you went away And when you came back Love was a forgotten word, Remember?” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

65. “Fame doesn’t fulfill you. It warms you a bit, but that warmth is temporary.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

66. “There is nothing positive about being fat. And there is nothing positive about loving yourself. We all need to conform to society’s expectations of who we are, because if we don’t, who will? Life is more enjoyable when you are thin and pretty. I was never fat a day in my life and I never will.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

Famous Marilyn Monroe Quotes

67. “In life, we weep at the thought of death. In death, perhaps we weep at the thought of life.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

68. “Remember now, Cheers, no tears.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

69. “The more I think of it, the more I realize there are no answers. Life is to be lived.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

70. “Do not worry, and worry.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

71. “Marriage is the dark side of the honeymoon.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

72. “I have too many fantasies to be a housewife. I guess I am a fantasy.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

73. “A kiss on the hand might feel very good, but a diamond tiara is forever.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

74. “I have never liked sex. I do not think I ever will. It just seems the opposite of love.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

75. “I’ve never dropped anyone I believed in.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

76. “I knew I belonged to the public and to the world, not because I was talented or even beautiful, but because I had never belonged to anything or anyone else.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

77. “Enjoy the fact that you’re a woman and men will enjoy it too.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

78. “There is a future, and I can’t wait to get to it.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

79. “Hollywood is a place where they’ll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul. I know, because I turned down the first offer often enough and held out for the fifty cents.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

80. “When Clark Gable died, I cried for 2 days straight. I couldn’t eat or sleep.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

81. “The body is meant to be seen, not all covered up.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

82. “Sometimes I feel my whole life has been one big rejection.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

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83. “Friends accept you the way you are.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

84. “I’ve given pure sex appeal very little thought. If I had to think about it I’m sure it would frighten me.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

85. “Love and work are the only two real things in our lives. They belong together, otherwise, it is off. Work is in itself a form of love.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

86. “I’ve always wanted a baby.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

87. “I guess I have always been deeply terrified to really be someone’s wife since I know from life one cannot love another, ever, really.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

88. “Of the nude pictures: Sure I posed. I needed the money.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

89. “It’s better being completely ridiculous than unbelievably boring.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

90. “Never let anyone dull your sparkle.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

Inspiring Marilyn Monroe Quotes

91. “Experts on romance say for a happy marriage there has to be more than a passionate love. For a lasting union, they insist, there must be a genuine liking for each other. Which, in my book, is a good definition for friendship.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

92. “Trying to build myself up with the fact that I have done things right that were even good and have had moments that were excellent but the bad is heavier to carry around and feel have no confidence.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

93. “I am good, but not an angel.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

94. “I have never been able to wear pajamas or creepy nightgowns; they disturb my sleep.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

95. “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

96. “An actor is supposed to be a sensitive instrument.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

97. “Looking back, I guess I used to play-act all the time. For one thing, it meant I could live in a more interesting world than the one around me.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

98. “There are always two sides to every story.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

99. “If your man is a sports enthusiast, you may have to resign yourself to his spouting off in a monotone on a prize fight, football game or pennant race.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

100. “Just because you fail once doesn’t mean you’re gonna fail at everything.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

101. “Cutting negative people from my life does not mean I hate them, it simply means I respect me.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

102. “You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

103. “To all the girls that think you’re fat because you’re not a size zero, you’re the beautiful one, its society who’s ugly.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

104. “This life is what you make it. No matter what, you’re going to mess up sometimes, it’s a universal truth.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

Marilyn Monroe Quotes for Motivation

105. “Dogs never bite me. Just humans.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

106. “Success makes so many people hate you. I wish it wasn’t that way. It would be wonderful to enjoy success without seeing envy in the eyes of those around you.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

107. “I don’t mind making jokes, but I don’t want to look like one.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

108. “Happiness is not in money, but in shopping.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

109. “I have feelings too. I am still human. All I want is to be loved, for myself and for my talent.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

110. “All little girls should be told they are pretty, even if they aren’t.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

Short Marilyn Monroe Quotes

111. “No sex is wrong, if there’s love in it.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

112. “In spite of everything life is not without hope.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

113. “It’s not true that I had nothing on. I had the radio on.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

114. “It’s often just enough to be with someone. I don’t need to touch them. Not even talk. A feeling passes between you both. You’re not alone.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

115. “I’ve been on a calendar, but I’ve never been on time.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

116. “I’m very definitely a woman and I enjoy it.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

117. “When you’re young and healthy you can plan on Monday to commit suicide, and by Wednesday you’re laughing again.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

118. “You might as well make yourself fly as to make yourself love.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

119. “If I play a stupid girl and ask a stupid question, I’ve got to follow it through, what am I supposed to do, look intelligent?” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

120. “A strong man doesn’t have to be dominant toward a woman. He doesn’t match his strength against a woman weak with love for him. He matches it against the world.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

121. “That’s the way you feel when you’re beaten inside. You don’t feel angry at those who’ve beaten you. You just feel ashamed.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

122. “Sisters make the best friends in the world.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

123. “You must feel attractive to be attractive.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

124. “I could never pretend something I didn’t feel. I could never make love if I didn’t love, and if I loved I could no more hide the fact than change the color of my eyes.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

125. “Before marriage, a girl has to make love to a man to hold him. After marriage, she has to hold him to make love to him.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

126. “When you don’t have any money, the problem is food. When you have money, it’s sex. When you have both, it’s health.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

127. “A smart girl is one who knows how to play tennis, golf, piano – and dumb.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

128. “I don’t know who invented high heels, but all women owe him a lot!” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

129. “Happy Birthday, Mr. Presidenttttt.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

130. “My heart belongs to daddy.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

131. “I’m trying to find myself as a person, sometimes that’s not easy to do. Millions of people live their entire lives without finding themselves. But it is something I must do. The best way for me to find myself as a person is to prove to myself that I am an actress.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

132. “Promises are worse than lies. You don’t just make them believe, you also make them hope.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

133. “Suicide is a person’s privilege. I don’t believe it’s a sin or a crime it’s your right if you do. Though it doesn’t get you anywhere.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

134. “I want to grow old without facelifts. I want to have the courage to be loyal to the face I have made.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

135. “For those who are poor in happiness, each time is a first time; happiness never becomes a habit.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

136. “It’s a terrible thing to be lonesome, especially in the middle of a crowd.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

137. “I’m pretty, but I’m not beautiful.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

138. “I am alone; I am always alone no matter what.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

139. “I lay in bed at night crying to myself. The only one who loved me and watched over me was someone I couldn’t see or hear or touch.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

140. “Don’t let your fear of failing triumph over the joy of participating.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

141. “I don’t mind being burdened with being glamorous and sexual. Beauty and femininity are ageless and can’t be contrived, and glamour, although the manufacturers won’t like this, cannot be manufactured. Not real glamour; it’s based on femininity.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

142. “I read poetry to save time.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

143. “The thing I want more than anything else? I want to have children. I used to feel for every child I had, I would adopt another.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

144. “Respect is one of life’s greatest treasures. I mean, what does it all add up to if you don’t have that?” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

145. “A woman knows by intuition, or instinct, what is best for herself.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

146. “A sex symbol becomes a thing. I hate being a thing.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

147. “I would have told her then she was the only thing that I could love in this dying world but the simple word “love” itself already died and went away.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

148. “I learned to walk as a baby and I haven’t had a lesson since.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

149. “Sex is a part of nature. I go along with nature.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).

150. “Designers want me to dress like Spring, in billowing things. I don’t feel like Spring. I feel like a warm red Autumn.” ~ (Marilyn Monroe).


So these are some of the memorable quotes by her.


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Chandan Negi
Chandan Negi

I’m the Founder of Internet Pillar - I love sharing quotes and motivational content to inspire and motivate people - #quotes #motivation #internetpillar