Pride — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈprīd/

Meaning & Definition of Pride

Pride (noun)

  1. the quality or state of being proud
  2. reasonable self-esteem, confidence and satisfaction in oneself, self-respect
  3. pleasure that comes from some relationship, association, achievement, or possession that is seen as a source of honor, respect, etc.

Pride (verb)

  1. to indulge (oneself) in pride —now usually used in the phrase pride oneself on to describe taking pride in some ability, quality, etc.

Pride (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a reasonable or justifiable sense of one's worth or importance

    "finishing that survival course gave me a real sense of pride and confidence in my abilities"

    similar: ego, pridefulness, self-esteem, self-regard, self-respect
    related: aplomb, assurance, confidence, self-assurance, self-assuredness, self-confidence, self-pride, self-trust, self-worth, dignity, face, honor, prestige
    near: discredit, disesteem, disgrace, dishonor, disrepute, humiliation, ignominy, infamy, obloquy, odium, opprobrium, shame, demureness, down-to-earthness, humbleness, humility, modesty, diffidence, meekness, shyness, timidity, timidness

  2. an asset that brings praise or renown

    "an architectural and acoustical masterpiece, the concert hall is the pride of the whole city"

    similar: boast, credit, crown jewel, glory, honor, jewel, treasure, trophy, a feather in one's cap
    related: pièce de résistance, showpiece, attraction, feature, highlight, distinction, excellence, merit, value, virtue
    near: disgrace, dishonor, blemish, blot, defect, shame, slur, smirch, smudge, stain, stigma, eyesore, fright, horror, mess

  3. an often unjustified feeling of being pleased with oneself or with one's situation or achievements

    "so full of pride that they were ripe for a big comedown"

    similar: amour propre, bighead, complacence, complacency, conceit, conceitedness, ego, egotism, pomposity, pompousness, pridefulness, self-admiration, self-assumption, self-conceit, self-congratulation, self-esteem, self-glory, self-importance, self-love, self-opinion, self-satisfaction, smugness, swelled head, swellheadedness, vaingloriousness, vainglory, vainness, vanity
    related: assurance, confidence, self-assurance, self-confidence, self-righteousness, arrogance, disdainfulness, haughtiness, imperiousness, lordliness, self-assertion, snobbishness, superciliousness, superiority, hubris, overconfidence, presumption, pretense, pretension, pretentiousness, egoism, self-centeredness, selfishness, self-pride, self-respect
    opposite: humbleness, humility, modesty
    near: diffidence, self-doubt, self-disgust, self-hate, self-loathing, altruism, unselfishness, bashfulness, demureness, shyness, timidity, timidness, passiveness, passivity

  4. individuals carefully selected as being the best of a class

    "crackerjack test pilots who are the pride of the navy's air arm"

    similar: A-list, aristocracy, best, choice, corps d'elite, cream, crème de la crème, elect, elite, fat, flower, illuminati, pick, pink, priesthood, prime, royalty, upper crust, cream of the crop, Hall of Fame
    related: establishment, gentry, nobility, quality, society, top, top drawer, upper class, caviar, who's who
    near: commoners, herd, hoi polloi, masses, millions, mob, multitude, rank and file, unwashed

Pride (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to think highly of (oneself)

    "he prides himself on the quality of his writing"

    similar: flatter, pique, plume
    related: boast, brag, crow, gasconade, swagger, swank, swash, vapor, vaunt, congratulate, felicitate

Related Entry: Self-pride (noun)

Self-pride is a different word from Pride. The synonyms below are for self-pride, not for pride.

  1. as in confidence, self-assuredness

    similar: aplomb, assurance, confidence, self-assurance, self-assuredness, self-confidence, self-trust, self-worth, ego, pride, pridefulness, self-esteem, self-regard, self-respect, dignity, face, honor, prestige
    opposite: discredit, disesteem, disgrace, dishonor, disrepute, humiliation, ignominy, infamy, obloquy, odium, opprobrium, shame, demureness, down-to-earthness, humbleness, humility, modesty, diffidence, meekness, shyness, timidity, timidness

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Pride

The most common words with a similar meaning to Pride:

ego, pridefulness, self-esteem, self-regard, self-respect, boast, credit, crown jewel, glory, honor, jewel, treasure, trophy, amour propre, bighead, complacence, complacency, conceit, conceitedness, egotism, pomposity, pompousness, self-admiration, self-assumption, self-conceit, self-congratulation, self-glory, self-importance, self-love, self-opinion, self-satisfaction, smugness, swelled head, swellheadedness, vaingloriousness, vainglory, vainness, vanity, A-list, aristocracy

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Pride

Words with the opposite meaning of Pride:

humbleness, humility, modesty

Related Words for Pride

aplomb, assurance, confidence, self-assurance, self-assuredness, self-confidence, self-pride, self-trust, self-worth, dignity, face, prestige, pièce de résistance, showpiece, attraction, feature, highlight, distinction, excellence, merit, value, virtue, self-righteousness, arrogance, disdainfulness, haughtiness, imperiousness, lordliness, self-assertion, snobbishness

Near Antonyms of Pride

discredit, disesteem, disgrace, dishonor, disrepute, humiliation, ignominy, infamy, obloquy, odium, opprobrium, shame, demureness, down-to-earthness, diffidence, meekness, shyness, timidity, timidness, blemish, blot, defect, slur, smirch, smudge, stain, stigma, eyesore, fright, horror

Word Forms of Pride

Inflections: prides, prided, priding

Origin & Etymology of Pride

Middle English, from Old English prȳde, from prūd proud proud

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Pride

Words & Phrases Containing Pride

pride flag, pride of place, pride and joy, pride oneself on, gay pride, Progress Pride flag, self-pride

Frequently Asked Questions about Pride

What does "Pride" mean?

"Pride" means the quality or state of being proud. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: the quality or state of being proud. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Pride"?

Other words for "Pride" include ego, pridefulness, self-esteem, self-regard, self-respect, boast, credit and crown jewel. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Pride" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Pride"?

There are 123 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Pride". Common alternatives include ego, pridefulness, self-esteem, self-regard, self-respect, boast, credit, crown jewel, glory and honor.

What is the opposite of "Pride"?

Antonyms of "Pride" include humbleness, humility and modesty. Near antonyms include discredit, disesteem, disgrace and dishonor.

How do you use "Pride" in a sentence?

Examples of "Pride" in a sentence: "finishing that survival course gave me a real sense of pride and confidence in my abilities"; "an architectural and acoustical masterpiece, the concert hall is the pride of the whole city"; "so full of pride that they were ripe for a big comedown".

Is "Pride" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Pride" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Pride" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Pride" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Pride"?

"Pride" is pronounced /ˈprīd/.