talk is cheap

talk is cheap

It is very easy to talk about what one is going to do or what the correct course of action is, but it is much harder one actually puts those words into action. A: "I just need a little more time, and I can fix this whole mess—I swear!" B: "Talk is cheap, Bill. If you don't have this sorted out by Friday, you're fired." You keep saying you're going to start eating better and getting in shape, but talk is cheap.
See also: cheap, talk
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

Talk is cheap.

Prov. It is easier to say you will do something than to actually do it. (Saying this in response to someone who promises you something implies that you do not believe that person will keep the promise.) My boss keeps saying she'll give me a raise, but talk is cheap. You've been promising me a new dishwasher for five years now. Talk is cheap.
See also: cheap, talk
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • drive (one) out of office
  • force (one) out of office
  • force out of office
  • give (one) (one's) head
  • give head
  • give somebody their head
  • give someone their head
  • cooking for one
  • 1FTR
  • as one door closes, another (one) opens
References in periodicals archive
Talk is cheap, and you won't learn a thing by just reading about it; you need to get out and try the techniques.
Practical practice
But talk is cheap and I've got to get in there and prove it."
WAR OF WORDS..
"Your talk is cheap. You always talk but you don't deliver in the ring."
Haye vows to give Chisora slow beating
"Talk is cheap and you have to produce performances on the field.
Football: Kenny: Give me time and I'll get it right
But talk is cheap - and those medals are damn hard to win."
GARDENER DIGS DEEP; ...COMMONWEALTH GAMES
He said: "Talk is cheap. We did talk a lot about ambition last summer when I cam here, but you could see what Middlesbrough were trying to do.
Reiziger family score with his Christmas video
Talking PM is great, but talk is cheap without a little action, lf you're gonna talk the PM talk, you've gotta walk the PM walk.
PM talk
But talk is cheap, and putting a critical view of a black personality in print is a different matter, especially when a black hand is doing the writing.
The Black Biographer's Burden
Well, excuse me for being such a party pooper, but talk is cheap and whatever happened to good old penance?
Holy apologies
But if TV talk is cheap, talk radio truly represents programming on a shoestring.
On TV, talk is cheap - and very profitable
As ever, the only comment which fits Mr Brown's speech is "talk is cheap" as we all know nothing will be done to avoid tragedies like the mother and daughter who burned themselves to death rather than take any more abuse.
Brown empty vows; YourSay
Talk is cheap and it is the way commonly used to avoid the simple solution.
Letter: Pull the other leg