nice guys finish last

English

Etymology

US 1946, condensed from a comment by a baseball manager Leo Durocher. The original quote was “The nice guys are all over there, in seventh place.” (1946 July 6), about the 1946 New York Giants — seventh place was next-to-last place in the National League. This was shortly afterwards rendered as “‘Nice Guys’ Wind Up in Last Place, Scoffs Lippy”, hence giving the present form.

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

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Proverb

nice guys finish last

1. (idiomatic) People who are decent, friendly, and agreeable tend to be unsuccessful because they are outmaneuvered or overwhelmed by others who are not so decent, friendly, or agreeable.
   • 1956 Nov. 19, "National Affairs: Nice Guy Finishes First," Time:

     The size of his victory . . . contradicted the maxim of latter-day fellow Californian Leo Durocher, who once said positively: "Nice guys finish last."

   • 1998 March 23, Seth Schiesel, "All Too Soon, New F.C.C. Chief Finds Warm Welcome Is Cooling," New York Times (retrieved 10 July 2012):

     "He can be as moderate as he likes. Nobody else will be. In Washington these days, nice guys finish last."

   • 2011 Dec. 5, Richard Hall, "I didn't get where I am today by being nice... Study reveals agreeable men earn £4,500 less than their ruthless colleagues," The Independent (UK) (retrieved 10 July 2012):

     Nonetheless, a team of business experts claims to have proved the pessimistic notion that "nice guys finish last" – at least where money is concerned.

Usage notes

• Often expressed in a cynical manner.

Translations

people who are decent, friendly, and agreeable tend to be unsuccessful because they are outmaneuvered or overwhelmed

• French: qui se fait brebis le loup le mange
• Hungarian: a rendesek végeznek mindig az utolsó helyen

See also

• the good die young
• war makes thieves, and peace hangs them

References

• nice guys finish last at OneLook Dictionary Search