Practice makes perfect. — English proverb · Smartyfair

Practice makes perfect.

English proverb

Source foundPerseverance1700s

In plain words

Doing something again and again makes you better at it.

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Where these words come from

How sure this is: 74% sureThese words were traced back to where they first appeared. That source is listed below.
What turned up: Exact phrase first verifiably attested in John Adams's diary, January 1761: "Practice makes perfect." Earlier related forms: 'use maketh mastery' (c.1530), Thomas Wilson's rhetoric (1550s-60s). English-descended, anonymous.
Work: John Adams's diary
Occasion: 1761
Sources checked: phrases.org.ukChecked using claude-sonnet-5, 21 August 2026John Adams diary 1761 citation; 1530s-1560s precursor forms

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More on perseverance

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.

Confucius Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.

Lao Tzu Slow and steady wins the race.

Aesop Patience is the key to relief.Arabic proverb Drops of water hollow out a stone.

Ovid Few things are impossible to diligence and skill.

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