Summary
- Sheldon Cooper's unique personality and intelligent quotes made him an instant pop culture icon and one of the most popular sitcom characters of the 21st century.
- Some of the best Sheldon Cooper quotes highlight his intelligence, wit, and antisocial behavior, making him both endearing and hilarious.
- Sheldon's catchphrase, "Bazinga!", became a trademark of his character and was even carried over to the spinoff series Young Sheldon.
As the breakout character of The Big Bang Theory, there are plenty of Sheldon Cooper quotes that highlight his uniqueness and his humor. For 12 seasons, Jim Parsons starred in CBS's beloved sitcom as Dr. Sheldon Cooper, a genius and incredibly eccentric theoretical physicist. Parsons' work as the neurotic physicist earned him four Emmy Awards and even more award nominations, stealing the show from the other memorable characters. Sheldon's peculiar routines, obsessive interests in all things science and fiction, and often hilariously intelligent quotes are perfectly woven together to create a character who became an instant pop culture icon.
Sheldon Cooper was so popular that he spawned his own spinoff series, Young Sheldon, which chronicles his experiences as a child prodigy. The best Sheldon Cooper quotes are some of the most famous lines from The Big Bang Theory, and some of the funniest ones as well. These quotes highlight his incredible intelligence and impressive wit as well as his personality shortcomings, like his antisocial behavior and biting insults which made him one of the most popular sitcom characters of the 21st century.
The Big Bang Theory is available to stream on Max.
20 "That's My Spot."
Season 3, Episode 16, "The Excelsior Acquisition"
Sheldon was a man of particular tastes and expected everyone else in the world to abide by his personal choices. This was most often seen in Leonard and Sheldon's apartment, where there was a particular spot that he chose as his own and refused to sit anywhere else. "Sheldon's spot" was a running gag throughout The Big Bang Theory, with "that's my spot" being one of the must recognizable Sheldon Cooper quotes.
However, it turned out that this would extend to the outside world as well. After insulting a judge while in court, Sheldon was sent to jail. Though this was a place where he should have immediately been intimidated, Sheldon didn't waste time turning to one of his cellmates and informing this man that he was in Sheldon's spot.
19 "For The Record, It Could Kill Us To Meet New People."
Season 2, Episode 4, "The Griffin Equivalency"
The main gang in The Big Bang Theory were incredibly smart but also quite nerdy, which made them somewhat outcasts in typical social settings. However, while the others were often ashamed of this, Sheldon was more endearing for embracing his antisocial ways and defending why he didn't seem to like spending time with people. When Leonard suggested that they should make more of an effort to meet people because it wouldn't kill them, Sheldon disagreed, providing murderers and diseases as reasons why they might indeed die.
18 "Nothing I Just Really Didn't Want To Come."
Season 1, Episode 8, "The Grasshopper Experiment"
Not only was Sheldon unwilling to put in an effort to make new friends, but he also didn't feel the need to make an effort with the friends that he already had. When they all decided to go to the bar that Penny works at, Sheldon arrived late and apologized for his tardiness. When Leonard asked what delayed him, Sheldon quickly admitted he just didn't want to come. Though it makes everyone else uncomfortable at times, there is something refreshing about how honest Sheldon is willing to be.
17 "While I Subscribe To The Many Worlds Theory, Which Posits The Existence Of An Infinite Number Of Sheldons... I Assure You That In None Of Them Am I Dancing."
Season 3, Episode 3, "The Gothowitz Deviation"
An unmistakable highlight of The Big Bang Theory's earlier seasons and a dynamic that spawned the best Sheldon Cooper quotes was the back-and-forth rapport between Sheldon and Penny. Season 3, episode 3 opens with Sheldon waking up in the morning to find a barely dressed Penny making pancakes and dancing around the kitchen to Shania Twain's "Man, I Feel Like A Woman." Penny is always pushing Sheldon out of his comfort zone while Sheldon often responds with a very self-aware view of himself and what he will put up with. Clearly, dancing is not one of those things he'll tolerate.
16 “Good Morning, Everyone, And Welcome To 'Science and Society.' I'm Dr. Sheldon Cooper, BS, MS, MA, Ph.D., And ScD. OMG, Right?"
Season 4, Episode 13, "The Love Car Displacement"
One of Sheldon's best episodes was "The Love Car Displacement," where the gang split into two cars and hit the road for a science conference. At the conference, Sheldon introduced himself to the crowd with this hilarious opening line, which is a rare sign of his playful side. His usage of "OMG" is particularly surprising since he wasn't always up to date on current trends, but his excited nature is certainly tied to his ego and willingness to flaunt his impressive titles to an audience.
15 “So, Just To Clarify, When You Say Three, Do We Stand Up Or Do We Pee?"
Season 3, Episode 17, "The Precious Fragmentation"
When the gang believed they had one of the lost rings from the making of The Lord of the Rings, they decided to make a wager: whoever stopped touching the ring last would get to keep it. While holding on to the ring as a unit, it was agreed upon that they all had to go to the restroom and would go after counting to three. While Sheldon is certainly the smartest of the group, he had to clarify the wording of the agreement, suggesting he was willing to pee his pants if necessary. It is a clear sign that the extent of his fandom is unrelenting.
14 "I'm Sorry, Coffee's Out Of The Question. When I Moved To California I Promised My Mother That I Wouldn't Start Doing Drugs."
Season 2, Episode 18, "The Work Song Nanocluster"
Although Sheldon knew how to serve hot beverages and make guests feel at home in his apartment, he didn't always drink them himself. On numerous occasions, Sheldon was offered coffee, and he continuously turned it down. It came to be that Sheldon viewed caffeine as a drug, and he promised his mother he'd never get into drugs when he moved to California. It is fun seeing the comparison between Sheldon in The Bing Bang Theory and Young Sheldon and seeing that, even as a much older adult, he maintained a lot of that boyish innocence.
13 “Yes! She's Like The Dryer Sheets Of My Heart!”
Season 9, Episode 10, "The Earworm Reverberation"
When Amy broke up with Sheldon because she was frustrated with the way their relationship was turning out, it took Sheldon far longer than he expected to feel whole again. However, the nearly-season-long arc was wholly necessary for his character and resulted in one of the best Sheldon Cooper quotes. In season 9, episode 10, Sheldon realized a song stuck in his head reminded him of Amy and that he wanted to get back together. Sheldon had never been good at expressing his feelings, which made this odd declaration of love so sweet while still fitting his character.
12 "You Have As Much Of A Chance Of Having A Sexual Relationship With Penny As The Hubble Telescope Does..."
Season 1, Episode 3, "The Fuzzy Boots Corollary"
From the very beginning of The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon was a big naysayer of the prospect of a relationship between Penny and Leonard, helping to establish that they would become the series' central will-they-or-won't-they relationship. Leonard's infatuation didn't stop Sheldon from offering his honest thoughts about the possibility of their eventual coupling. The scathing remarks were paired with wonderfully nerdy scientific jokes, such as this amazing one about the Hubble Telescope and black holes. It was almost as if Sheldon saw the prospect of Leonard and Penny together as a fascinating improbable scenario of the universe.
11 "The Statement Stands For Itself."
Season 2, Episode 9, The White Asparagus Triangulation
Despite the fact that Penny became one of Sheldon's best and most important friends, he was never afraid to be brutally blunt with her. When Leonard was dating a new woman, Sheldon suggested this latest partner was the only one of Leonard's romantic partners that he found tolerable. When Penny pointed out that she used to date Leonard as well, Sheldon didn't feel the need to change his statement. Such moments made Penny more endearing for putting up with Sheldon's cruel comments, while it also emphasized how essential Jim Parson's performance was to make Sheldon likable even at such times.
10 “You Catch Even More With Manure, What's Your Point?"
Season 3, Episode 3, "The Gothowitz Deviation"
When Penny and Leonard first started dating, Sheldon had to get used to having Penny around more often. He wasn't sure if he could handle Penny's social nature, but Leonard reminded him that he would "catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" — meaning he would get better results from her if he treated her kindly. Although Sheldon was brilliant, he didn't always understand small talk or clichés, a hallmark of his characterization. However, it is also admirable that he is able to view a well-known phrase like this and point out the error of it.