From plane crashes to ghost romances,Grey’s Anatomyhas done it all. With twenty seasons and more on the way, the medical drama has created quite a legacy for itself. Some of the most iconic parts of the show are its outlandish medical cases, its many tragedies that have occurred at the hospital, and its cast of characters who have ranged from hated to loved.
At the center of it all is Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), the surgeon who initially only ended up at what was then known as Seattle Grace Hospital due to her mother. However, Meredith was eventually able to stop worrying about her mother’s legacy, and to instead focus on building her own.With that, of course, came some truly memorable lines. These are the 10 best Meredith Grey quotes, ranked.
Grey’s Anatomy
10"In medical school, we have a hundred classes that teach us how to fight off death, and not one lesson in how to go on living."
Season 6, Episode 1 (2009)
In its later seasons,Grey’s Anatomyhad so many main character deaths, that the show gained a reputation for it. This led to many grief-focused episodes, as well as the occasional profound quote about grief or loss. The first main character death was George O’Malley in the Season 5 finale, after he jumped in front of a bus to save a stranger. In Season 6, episode 1, “Good Mourning,” the doctors dealt with the aftermath of George’s death.
The doctors had a really hard time dealing with the death of their friend, especially at his funeral. While narrating the episode, Meredith said, “In medical school, we have a hundred classes that teach us how to fight off death, and not one lesson in how to go on living.” This quote is emblematic of everything that the show represents.It shows how the doctors do not know everything, and that they are people first, coping with grief and loss.
9"We either adapt to change or we get left behind."
Season 4, Episode 1 (2007)
The fourth season ofGrey’s Anatomysaw the former class of interns dealing with a lot of change as they adjusted to becoming residents. Poor George got left behind after failing his intern’s exam. The others struggled with having more responsibilities and leading groups of interns. On a more personal level, Cristina dealt with adjusting to Burke leaving her and then getting recognition for her work.
After trying to date Derek seriously, Meredith ultimately was unable to be in a relationship at that time, and they broke up. Being broken up with Derek and working on herself in therapy was a big adjustment for Meredith. While narrating the episode, she said, “We either adapt to change or we get left behind.“This is a great quote for life in general, but it was also a very important thing for the interns to learn and accept.
8"So I figure this place has given me as much as it’s taken away from me. I’ve lived here as much as I’ve survived here.”
Season 9, Episode 2 (2012)
With the devastating plane crash in the Season 8 finale,Grey’s Anatomytruly became a show full of tragedies that just happened to occur at this one hospital. Theplane crash had a strong effect onGrey’s Anatomyfor many seasons to come, but it was an especially significant part of Season 9. After the traumatic experience and the deaths of Mark and Lexie, the doctors struggled to come back from what they had all been through together.
After the crash, Cristina fled to Minnesota to get away from it all. While calling her, Meredith said, “So I figure this place has given me as much as it’s taken away from me. I’ve lived here as much as I’ve survived here.“Even when the hospital became a place of death, Meredith still was able to put her love for the other doctors there above all else. She used this to still be there for Cristina and ultimately to welcome her back.
7"But any surgeon knows that what’s broken can be mended, what’s hurt can be healed, that no matter how dark it gets, the sun’s going to rise again.”
Season 11, Episode 24 (2015)
Grey’s Anatomywas never quite the same after the plane crash, and its later seasons suffered and continue to suffer as a result. Season 11 is most memorable for the tragic death of Derek Shepherd towards the end of the season. It was one of the show’s most heartbreaking deaths, due to how suddenly that truck hit Derek, and how it would have been preventable if the doctors had actually done their jobs correctly.
The rest of Season 11 showed the doctors, especially Meredith, all grieving Derek’s death and trying to come to terms with it. In the penultimate episode of the season, Meredith gave a narration about what she was going through. “But any surgeon knows, that what’s broken can be mended. What’s hurt can be healed. That no matter how dark it gets, the sun’s going to rise again.“This quote applies to all of the deaths in the show, and it also shows Meredith’s resilience.
6"And that even the biggest failure, even the worst, most intractable mistake, beats the hell out of not trying.”
Season 1, Episode 6 (2005)
The main drama points onGrey’s Anatomydid not really start until Season 2. The first season mostly just focused on the interns adjusting to their lives working at the hospital, and balancing their work lives with their personal lives. In Season 1, episode 6, “If Tomorrow Never Comes,” Meredith was worried about howher relationship with Derekwould impact her career after Bailey found out about them.
At the end of the episode, Meredith decides to take the chance with Derek. In her narration of the episode, Meredith gave a speech about taking risks.She explained how people have to learn for themselves, “That knowing is better than wondering, that waking is better than sleeping. And that even the biggest failure, even the worst, most intractable mistake, beats the hell out of not trying.”
5"Did you say it? ‘I love you.’ ‘I don’t ever want to live without you.’ ‘You changed my life.’ Did you say it?”
Season 5, Episode 24 (2009)
Grey’s Anatomyfans will never forget the tragic death of George O’Malley in the Season 5 finale. It was the first main character death, and it was especially heartbreaking due to how sudden it was. George was enlisting in the army, and then he jumped in front of a bus to save a stranger. Even worse was how Meredith found out.
The surgeons were treating a patient, when suddenly the patient traced 0-0-7 into Meredith’s hand, which made her realize that it was George.The episode was especially emotional for Meredith, with her grieving George’s loss, and then suddenly marrying Derek. In a narrative voiceover, she said, “Did you say it? ‘I love you.’ ‘I don’t ever want to live without you.’ ‘You changed my life.’ Did you say it?”
4"Pick me. Choose me. Love me.”
Season 2, Episode 5 (2005)
One of the most iconicnon-medical storylines onGrey’s Anatomywas the love triangle between Meredith, Derek, and Addison. After Addison unexpectedly showed up in the Season 1 finale, Derek was torn between her and Meredith for a while. Meredith initially did not know how to handle it, but then she made up her mind.
In one of the most controversial speeches inGrey’s Anatomy, Meredith confessed her love for Derek. She ended the speech with, “So pick me. Choose me. Love me.” The speech is embarrassing and uncomfortable looking back, but it was really iconic forGrey’s Anatomy.It was the moment when Meredith finally let herself fight for this relationship.
3"I believe that we can be extraordinary together, rather than ordinary apart.”
Season 4, Episode 17 (2008)
After Meredith and Derek got together at the end of Season 3, Meredith struggled a lot with being in a serious relationship. They were apart for all of Season 4, and while Derek dated Rose, Meredith worked on herself in therapy. At the end of the season, Meredith found the clarity that she needed, and so she went to find Derek.
When Derek arrived at the plot of land that he had bought all those years ago, Meredith was waiting there. She had built a house of candles to mirror the house that Derek had wanted to build for the two of them.She gave him a speech declaring her love, much better than her first speech. She told him, “I believe that we can be extraordinary together, rather than ordinary apart.”
2"I make no apologies for how I chose to repair what you broke."
Season 2, Episode 24 (2006)
After Derek chose Addison inGrey’s AnatomySeason 2, things were rocky between him and Meredith, before they then decided to try being friends. Meredith put her feelings aside to be friends with Derek and Addison. Derek was able to be friends with Meredith when she was single, but he got jealous and lashed out after seeing her with Finn.
Derek was so angry about Meredith and Finn, that he yelled at her and accused her of sleeping around.Meredith fired back with an iconic speech where she told Derek that he did not get to call her names. She told him that she had wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, but then he left her for Addison. “You left me. You chose Addison. I’m all glued back together now. I make no apologies for how I chose to repair what you broke.”
1"You’re my person. You will always be my person."
Meredith had many memorable connections with the other doctors at the hospital, from her eventual husband, Derek, to her little sister, Lexie. However, Meredith’s very best relationship was with Cristina Yang. After a bit of animosity in Season 1, Meredith and Cristina quickly bonded and became best friends. In the Season 2 premiere, Cristina called Meredith her person.
For the rest of Cristina’s time on the show, she and Meredith always referred to each other as their “person.” After the plane crash in the Season 8 finale, Meredith had an especially hard time with Cristina all the way in Minnesota. On the phone, Meredith told Cristina, “You’re my person. You will always be my person.“Their friendship was the heart and soul ofGrey’s Anatomy, and the show was never the same after Cristina left.
