Brothers can be a real pain, but they are also some of the most treasured people in our lives. Through all the laughs, arguments, and jokes at your own expense, it can be hard to find the words to tell your brother how much he means to you. These uplifting  and funny brother quotes are perfect for younger brothers, older brothers and even brothers not related by blood. Read on for more words of wisdom about your favorite siblings.

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Brother and sister quotes

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1. “Brothers and sisters are as close as hands and feet.”—Vietnamese Proverb

2. “I don’t believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers. It makes them siblings, gives them mutuality of parentage. Sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at.”—Maya Angelou

3. “Do not make a comrade equal to a brother.”—Hesiod 

4. “Nothing can stop me from loving my brother.”—Brandy Norwood

5. “I had a brother who was my savior, made my childhood bearable.”—Maurice Sendak

6. “The happiest days of my youth were when my brother and I would run through the woods and feel quite safe.”—Rachel Weisz

7. “From the time we’re born, our brothers and sisters are our collaborators and co-conspirators, our role models and our cautionary tales.”—Jeffrey Kluger

8. “I think people that have a brother or sister don’t realize how lucky they are. Sure, they fight a lot, but to know that there’s always somebody there, somebody that’s family.”—Trey Parker and Matt Stone

9. “A brother shares childhood memories and grown-up dreams.”—Unknown

Big brother quotes

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10. “My mother was nuts. My father was boring. My older brother was funny.”—Penny Marshall

11. “Because brothers don’t let each other wander in the dark alone.”—Jolene Perry

12. “The best thing about having four big brothers is you always have someone to do something for you.”—Chloe Moretz

13. “How do people make it through life without a brother?”—Unknown

14. “Being his real brother, I could feel I live in his shadows, but I never have and I do not now. I live in his glow.”—Michael Morpurgo.

Little brother quotes

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15. “The best way to get a puppy is to beg for a baby brother—and they’ll settle for a puppy every time.”—Winston Pendelton

16. “The younger brother must help to pay for the pleasures of the elder.”—Jane Austen

17. “Baby brothers are small. Baby brothers are cute. But they can be a pain, and that is the truth.”—Sheila Sweeny Higginson 

18. “Some people don’t believe in heroes. But they haven’t met my brother.”—Unknown

19. “There’s no buddy like a brother.”—Unknown

20. “I grew up with a younger brother, so I can get pretty rowdy.”—Sarah Wynter

21. “The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life.”—Richard Bach

22. “Brothers are playmates in the beginning and best friends for life.”—Anonymous

23. “A brother is a friend given by nature.”—Ernest Legouvé

Funny brother quotes  

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24. “She had always wanted a brother. And she had one now. Sebastian. It was like always wanting a puppy and being a hellhound instead.”—Cassandra Clare

25. “The highlight of my childhood was making my brother laugh so hard that food came out his nose.”—Garrison Keillor 

26. “What strange creatures brothers are!”—Jane Austen

27. “When I look at each of my brothers, I see two things. First, I see the next place I want to leave a rosy welt. Second, I see a good man who will always be there, no matter how hard life gets for me or him. Then, I get out of the way because I realize he’s coming at me with a wet dishtowel.”—Dan Pearce

28. “To the “r” in the word brother; Without it, you’d just be a bother.”—Unknown

29. “Siblings that say they never fight are most definitely hiding something.”—Lemony Snicket

30. “It snowed last year too: I made a snowman and my brother knocked it down and I knocked my brother down and then we had tea.”—Dylan Thomas

31. “Let the wage promised to a friend be fixed; even with your brother smile—and get a witness; for trust and mistrust alike ruin men.”—Hesiod

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’ve been sharing our favorite quotes for over 100 years. The sayings and quips that appear in the magazine’s “Quotable Quotes” (formerly “Remarkable Remarks”) are curated from interviews and essays originally published in the magazine, reprints from trusted titles and other verified sources. For this piece, Emma Taubenfeld tapped her experiences as a lifestyle editor for Reader’s Digest to ensure that all information is accurate. We’ve gone the extra step and had Christine Coppa, a fact-checker with 20-plus years of experience, including serving as staff research editor at Philadelphia magazine and at Essenceverify that all quotes are attributed correctly and have credible sourcing. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.