We have too many high sounding words and too few actions that correspond with them.

The remark criticizes the gap between rhetoric and reality: lofty language, moral posturing, or political promises are plentiful, but concrete deeds that match those claims are scarce. Read in the context of Abigail Adams’s broader correspondence—where she often evaluates public virtue, republican character, and the practical burdens of war and governance—the sentiment underscores a pragmatic standard for integrity: words are cheap unless embodied in consistent action. It also functions as a warning about performative politics and social hypocrisy, urging accountability and measurable follow-through rather than admiration for eloquence alone.