NBC’s ‘The Office’ had the power to make you go from cringe to wow in the blink of an eye. Keeping in mind how tone-deaf and life-affirming they could be, we have ranked the most iconic lines from ‘The Office’ in order of shallow to deep. Scroll down to know more!
‘The Office’ has given the world some of the most iconic catchphrases and lines that run across mouths even today. While some of the lines feel like a punch in the gut where you almost pray that you didn’t hear someone actually say it, others would make you realise why you love the show. Starting from the shallowest to the most heart-melting, deep ones, we have taken up the task of ranking the most iconic lines from ‘The Office’.
The Office was a den of quotable quotes.
Highlights —
- The insensitive comment about the hearing aid
- The casual racism
- It’s time for this to end, people!
- Dwight, you little philosopher!
Top 10 Best Quotes On The Office:
10. The insensitive comment about the hearing aid
“I’m very sorry. I did not know you were wearing a hearing aid. I thought you were speaking abnormally.”
Michael Scott is known to make inappropriate remarks without even realizing it. When Dwight finally becomes the salesman of the year in the second season, he becomes too nervous to face an audience. Michael plays the good Samaritan but bombs on the stage making the above inappropriate comment about a person with a hearing aid.

9. The casual racism
“You’ll notice I didn’t have anybody being Arab. I thought that would be too explosive, no pun intended. But I just thought ‘too soon’ for Arabs. Maybe next year. The ball’s in their court.”
Most of the lines on ‘The Office’ that would make you want to throw up in your mouth come from Michael Scott. In the “Diversity Day” episode, Michael takes up the charge to teach everyone a lesson about respecting cultures by making them pretend to belong to a different race. Michael should be the last person on earth to provide sensitivity training and, predictably, Michael ends up putting across racist remarks.
8. Yet another racist comment
“Let’s go around, and everybody name a race you’re sexually attracted to.”
No, we are not done with “Diversity Day” yet and Michael, apparently, wasn’t done with his racist remarks either. Although Michael meant no harm and actually intended to demonstrate his love and inclusive attitude towards all ethnicities and races, he ends up being outright offensive. Dwight makes it worse by actually responding to Michael’s question with an answer – “White and Indian”.
7. Hello, body-shaming!
“Could a rowboat support her?”
A single Michael in search for a date is the worst! Michael asks his colleagues to find him a date but rejects every suggestion on grounds like physical appearance. The one time Phyllis suggests her single friends to Michael, he immediately asks an offensive question about her weight.
What were some of the most meaningful learnings from The Office?
6. Cringe, no cringe, your pick
“That’s what she said.”
A common one, but it was Michael Scott from ‘The Office’ who made it one of the most iconic lines ever on TV! However, as typical of Michael, he does not always have the best timing, and there have been moments when this line has made us cringe. Nevertheless, it is one of our favourite recurring lines from the show.
5. Gibberish or the real deal?
“Sometimes I’ll start a sentence, and I don’t even know where it’s going. I just hope I find it along the way.”
Well, if that isn’t true! This gem of a line surprisingly came from Michael in season 5 episode 12 when David Wallace asked him the secret behind his team’s success. Although typically fashioned as Michael’s gibberish, if you really think about it, there’s more than just truth in it.
4. It’s time for this to end, people!
“Mini-cupcakes? As in the mini version of regular cupcakes? Which is already a mini version of cake? Honestly, where does it end with you people?”
One of the most iconic lines, this one is from season 9 of ‘The Office’. In the crisis of a forgotten office Christmas party, people suggest immediate solutions. In one such solution, Nellie suggests bringing in liquor and mini cupcakes which infuriates Kevin.
3. Are you an idiot?
“Whenever I’m about to do something, I think, ‘Would an idiot do that?’ and if they would, I do not do that thing.”
Straight from the archives of Dwight, the wisdom whisperer! As one of the many iconic lines from ‘The Office’, this one comes from season 3 when Michael after having been invited as the guest speaker in Ryan’s business class, asks for the best advice Dwight was ever given. Do us a favour, and listen to Dwight. Just this one time.
2. Dwight, you little philosopher!
“You only live once? False. You live every day. You only die once.”
One of the rare iconic and inspirational lines from ‘The Office’, this one is gold. Dwight speaks and stands by this belief in all his heart and actions. If you really think about it, truer words have not been spoken. Take note, guys!
1. Those were good days, man!
“I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.”
Hands down, the best of the best lines from ‘The Office’, these iconic words were said by Andy Bernard in the series finale. The line has a meta-reference as the series comes to an end after one hell of a journey, and with that, the characters as well as the viewers leave behind a box full of great memories.
What are your favourite lines from ‘The Office’? Let us know in the comments below!
