Time assuages the greatest grief.
Time assuages the greatest grief.
Meaning in plain English
Even an intense grief may change with time. The saying offers hope for easing, while its sweeping claim should not impose an outcome or deadline.
Example
Someone finds more room for daily life while continuing to honour a loss that still matters.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Time is given power to soften the greatest sorrow. It can express reassurance that a present intensity need not be the permanent form of a person’s experience. Support and circumstances also matter, and grief may remain significant. A careful reading allows change without requiring forgetfulness, silence or proof that someone has recovered on schedule.
When to use it
Use it as qualified hope for change in grief.
Keep in mind
There is no universal timetable or guaranteed outcome, and continuing support may be needed.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1623 · Time
Read the original context ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · historical anthology
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Public domain (United States)
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
Provenance and licences ↗
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