60+ Funny shirt sayings to use on t-shirts

Who doesn't love getting a laugh out of funny quotes printed on the shirt of a random passerby? Funny t-shirts are a great addition to any wardrobe and are enjoyable gifts for friends and family.

If you love to laugh, starting a funny t-shirt business is an excellent way to turn your sense of humor into a profitable source of income. We'll help you begin with a brief overview of what funny sayings for shirts you can print and give you some great ideas to help get your creative gears going.

Main takeaways from this article:

• Funny saying t-shirts express your humor, spark conversations, and reveal your personality and interests.

• Print on demand partners like Gelato make it easy to turn your humor into profit by starting your online funny t-shirt store.

• When you integrate Gelato with your ecommerce store, we'll create and deliver your tees whenever a customer orders.

• While you should avoid using copyrighted or trademarked quotes on your funny t-shirts, quotes now in the public domain are considered fair game.

• Explore how you can get creative and witty with your t-shirt sayings.

• Catering to a specific niche or brand of humor you relate to can make it easier to develop great slogans your target audience will love.

T-shirts with funny sayings are a great way to show off your humor and personality. Imagine wearing a tee that makes everyone smile with a clever or hilarious quote. These t-shirts, especially ones with funny sayings for adults, are perfect for sparking conversations and sharing laughs, whether hanging out with friends or livening the mood at the office. 

Choosing a t-shirt with a funny saying is more than just picking something amusing to wear. It’s about expressing who you are. You could wear a shirt with an office saying that makes your colleagues chuckle or a tee with a food saying that other food enthusiasts will love. Each t-shirt tells a story about your taste, mood, and fashion sense. So, selecting a t-shirt with a humorous phrase isn’t just about fashion; it’s a way of sharing a slice of your character and the things that bring you joy with the world.

When selecting hilarious quotes or sayings to grace your t-shirts, it's essential to ensure you stay within the bounds of copyright and trademark laws. Beware of famous humorous sayings that come from copyrighted works or pop culture, such as:

• Recently published books or eBooks

• Popular song lyrics

• Movies

• TV shows

• Memes or NFTs

Basically, if someone else wrote it, it's best to err on the side of caution with a few significant exceptions. Parodies are a major loophole in copyright law, so putting your funny spin on a famous phrase is permissible.

It's technically even possible to trademark a slogan (though not everyone does), so it's generally safest to stick to your work or quotes considered public domain. In the United States, anything published before 1924 is considered public domain, and most other copyrights expire 70 years after the author's death.

So, while you wouldn't want to publish a quote like "Show me the money," a fun Shakespeare quote like "I do desire we may be better strangers" is fair game. When in doubt, you can check to see if certain funny quotes are currently considered the intellectual property of someone else by searching for it at the following sites:

• Copyrights: US Copyright Office Public Search

• Trademarks: US Patent and Trademark Office Search

Personalized t-shirt sayings are your canvas for creativity. Funny t-shirt sayings can turn a simple tee into a unique design, whether for a personal project or to spice up your wardrobe. Think beyond the usual jokes - explore sayings that resonate with your experiences or reflect your quirky side. Making t-shirts with funny phrases is more than just showing your personality; it’s a way to create a distinctive brand. 

For entrepreneurs, t-shirts with amusing sayings are fantastic for grabbing customers' interest. They offer a playful and unique means for people to connect with your brand. These t-shirts are more than just clothes; they start conversations and appeal to everyone’s funny side. Imagine a tee with a funny saying that becomes a must-have for your customers. Whether it’s a witty comment about daily life or a pun that food lovers can’t resist, your sayings can set your t-shirts apart.

When you learn to follow the laughter, you'll discover that humor is all around. If you're looking to create a shop full of funny sayings for t-shirts, carrying around a notebook or an app on your phone is not a bad idea to jot down fun ideas wherever you go.

From hilarious quotes or jokes that make your friends explode with laughter to witty social media posts that generate lots of likes, jot down sayings you think might work well on your tees. If you've ever had an idea you thought would make a great meme, then it will also make for an excellent t-shirt idea.

While many funny quotes can stand alone, you may come up with others that would be even funnier with an accompanying image. For this reason, starting a collection of creative commons images you can use on your products for free is never a bad idea.

You'll find plenty of fun images and vectors you can use on commercial products at sites like:

• Pexels

• Unsplash

• RawPixel

• PlaceIt

Now, let's delve into several humor categories ripe with opportunities for hilarity. T-shirts with funny sayings tend to cater to the wearer's personality, so try to spot which categories would best help your audience express their collective style and humor.

1. Funny t-shirt ideas for food lovers

Everyone can relate to the hope of getting into shape, only to succumb to the lure of a tasty morsel. Give your audience a chance to express their love of all things fattening by designing food-related funny quotes on tees.

Eating stupid food has been one of humanity's favorite pastimes. That's why you'll find plenty of great public-domain quotes in this category right alongside modern quips.

• "Promises and pie-crust are made to be broken” - Jonathan Swift

• "No, I'm not vegan because I love animals. I just really hate plants."

• "I keep trying to lose weight. But it always ends up finding me."

• "There is no sincerer love than the love of food." - George Bernard Shaw

• "If we shouldn't eat at night, why is there a light in the fridge?"

• "The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not." - Mark Twain

• “Destiny may ride with us today, but there is no reason for it to interfere with lunch.” — Peter the Great

• "Ice cream is exquisite - what a pity it isn't illegal." - Voltaire

2. Funny alcohol sayings

Have you ever experienced the horror of waking up wondering what drunk you got up to last night? If so, you can relate to a boozing right of passage as old as wine.

Rest assured that this is another hilarious quotes category where you will be fine finding fair-use quotes from history. Whether the wearer is headed out for a night with friends or running errands to Target, they will undoubtedly draw a few knowing grins with one of these alcohol-themed gems.

• “In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is Freedom, and in water, there are bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin

• "There cannot be good living where there is not good drinking." - Benjamin Franklin

• "Wine is bottled poetry" - Robert Louis Stevenson

• "There's too much blood in my alcohol system."

• “Always do sober what you said you’d do drunk: That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.” - Ernest Hemingway

• "Wine is sunlight, held together by water." —Galileo

• "I'm not as look as I drunk."

• "I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.” - W.C. Fields

• "I drink to make other people more interesting." - Ernest Hemingway

3. Sarcastic funny sayings

If you enjoy a finely honed sarcastic personality, this niche is the perfect way to cash in on your gift. As we all know, sometimes situations present themselves in which it's best to bite your tongue.

But that doesn't mean you can't let your funny t-shirt sayings do the talking. Deck out your shop's tees with your best zingers, or check out these fair-use sarcastic sayings.

• "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt." - Abraham Lincoln

• "I would challenge you to a battle of wits, but I see you are unarmed." - William Shakespeare

• "Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go." - Oscar Wilde

• “I can resist anything except temptation.” - Oscar Wilde

• “Silence is golden. Duct tape is silver.”

• "Sarcasm: Because physical violence is frowned upon."

• "Common sense is not so common." - Voltaire

• "The secret of being a bore... is to tell everything." - Voltaire

• "True friends stab you in the front." - Oscar Wilde

4. Punny funny sayings t-shirts

Let's face it: few people can resist a good eye roll. If you're skilled in the art of the pun, then create your funny sayings or one-liners, slap them on a shirt, and wait for the fun to begin.

The great thing about puns is that you can easily reuse most of them to create a new but equally funny quote. Browse a few memes, list words that lend themselves to funny puns, and let your creativity run wild.

• "Hokey Pokey Rehab: It's never too late to turn yourself around."

• "Never trust a ladder. They're always up to something."

• "I got mugged at (insert the name of your favorite coffee shop).

• "Thespians do it on stage."

• "Kim Carbdashian"

• Over a picture of an artist: "Sketchiness is underrated."

• With a picture of a mummy: "Wrap artist."

• With a picture of an owl: "Owl, think about it."

• Above a picture of (you guessed it) an emu: "Are you not emu-sed?"

5. Sports and fitness funny sayings

Many athletes love to wear clothes that announce a love of their favorite sport. So why not give them a way to do it while spreading a little laughter?

If you or a family member play a certain sport, look for words, phrases, or terms that you could transform into funny sayings. There's a huge market for hysterical sports and fitness t-shirts, from popular sports to working out.

• "It's not sweat. It's victory drops."

• "Lift long and prosper."

• "Token enthusiastic sports shirt."

• "Team snack stand"

• Baseball: "Pitch, plz."

• MMA/Martial Arts: "That's what I do. I punch, and I kick things."

• Surfing: "Waves before babes."

• Football: "I'm a bringin' quarterback."

• Basketball: "Born to bounce"

6. Video game funny sayings

Gamers tend to have a language all their own, complete with plenty of cool sayings just begging to be turned into an amusing t-shirt. If you speak gamer, why not turn your insider knowledge into funny t-shirt designs?

Think about what type of video game shirts with memorable or hilarious quotes you might like to receive as a gift, then create them and send them to the world. Here are some fun examples of funny gamer slogans:

• "I went AFK for this."

• "Gamers gonna game."

• "Gamer girls push all the right buttons."

• "A lag on both your houses."

• "Pew first, ask questions later."

• "Hey, girl. Wanna check out my K/D ratio?"

• "Perpetual poggers pursuer."

• "Do you even MMORPG, Bro?"

7. Family funny sayings

From the sentimental to the sarcastic, plenty of t-shirts play to the family t-shirt niche. Look no further than your family for inspiration and think what type of t-shirt design might make a funny gift for each.

The great thing about creating t-shirts with funny sayings for different kinds of family members is that you can expand your store to include tees for adults, kids, and even babies. Here are some fun slogans for different family members to help turn your creative gears.

• Dads: "Free dad jokes."

• Moms: "Mom voice initiating...."

• Moms: "You see Legos. I see mom landmines."

• For Babies: "My snooze button is broken."

• Aunts: "The cool aunt."

• Uncles: "Don't look at me. I'm just the questionable uncle."

• Siblings: "World's most tolerable brother/sister."

• Grandparents: "Ask me anything. My grandkids taught me how to use YouTube."

8. Work funny sayings

Funny work shirts can make a great gift for anyone who knows the struggles of the daily grind. This niche lends itself to numerous unique approaches, whether featuring funny quotes about work in general or a phrase everyone in a specific profession will relate to.

While playing to a particular niche is great, beware of inside jokes that may only make sense in your own office. Remember, the goal is to create a shirt many people will relate to.

• "To hold a pen is to be at war." - Voltaire

• "Gainful-ishly Employed"

• "Have you tried turning it off and back on again?"

• "This is my pleasant customer service face."

• "Work is the curse of the drinking classes." - Oscar Wilde

• "They ran out of months to make me the employee of."

• "WFH be like: Pants? Where we're going, you don't need pants."

• "Work from home hair, don't care."

• "This is why I make the medium to average bucks."

9. Animal funny sayings

Seriously, who can't relate to secretly loving their pet more than most humans? Share the love with fellow pet owners by releasing a line of funny pet-themed tees.

Animal-themed t-shirts are great because they can feature cool and funny sayings alone or be accompanied by a cute or funny image of the type of pet in question. Here are some ideas to get you started.

• "It's not stray fur. It's purr glitter."

• "Can I make adoring cooing sounds at your dog?"

• "Hell hath no fury like a hungry dog/cat at 6 am."

• "Cat/Dog/Fur mom AF"

• "The more I see of men, the more I like dogs." - Madame de Stael

• "No Shih-Tzu, Sherlock."

• "The cat is the best anarchist.” - Ernest Hemingway

• "My cat can fit into impossibly smaller spaces than your cat."

• "Corgis: The Original Lowriders"

10. Be witty with these funny t-shirt sayings

Add fun to your look with t-shirts with clever and hilarious sayings. They’re more than just shirts; they’re a way to show off your humor and personality. Wearing a tee with a funny phrase can make you the center of attention, sparking laughs and banter. Whether it’s a playful joke or a witty line, these t-shirts make your day more enjoyable and get people talking. Here are some examples of funny t-shirt sayings:

• “I’m not arguing; I’m just explaining why I’m right.”  

• “Sarcasm: just one of my many talents.”

• “I speak fluent movie quotes and sarcasm.”

• “My brain has too many tabs open.”

• “I’m on a seafood diet. I see food, and I eat it.”

• “I’m not lazy; I’m in energy-saving mode.”

• “Error 404: Motivation not found.” 

• “I don’t have a bucket list, but my to-do list is a mile long.”

• “I’m not late; I’m just in my own time zone.”

• “Professional overthinker.” 

Quirky sayings like these are perfect for adding a dash of humor to your or your customers’ t-shirt collections.

Shirts with funny quotes or slogans is one of the few fashion accessories that bring as much joy to others as they do to the wearer. One of the major perks for independent artists is that funny slogan shirts are also straightforward to make and require exceptionally few design skills.

If you're ready to put your wit to work, browse the great selection of high-quality shirts at Gelato today! You supply the hilarity, and we'll take care of everything else.