pride

noun

\ ˈprīd

Definition of pride

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : the quality or state of being proud: such as

a : inordinate self-esteem : conceit

b : a reasonable or justifiable self-respect

c : delight or elation arising from some act, possession, or relationship parental pride

2 : proud or disdainful behavior or treatment : disdain

3a : ostentatious display

b : highest pitch : prime

4 : a source of pride : the best in a group or class

5 : a company of lions

6 : a showy or impressive group a pride of dancers

pride

verb

prided; priding

Definition of pride (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

: to indulge (oneself) in pride —now usually used in the phrase pride oneself on to describe taking pride in some ability, quality, etc. She was a girl who prided herself on her carefully blasé and supercilious attitude towards life.— P. G. Wodehouse

Pride

biographical name

\ ˈprīd

Definition of Pride (Entry 3 of 3)

Thomas died 1658 English Parliamentarian commander

Synonyms Vanity vs. Pride More Example Sentences Learn More about pride

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Vanity vs. Pride

People often turn to the dictionary in search of the minute and subtle differences between two similar words. The closely related duo of vanity and pride, which overlap significantly in some respects yet differ in others, offer one such example. Putting aside such uses as pride referring to “a company of lions” and vanity meaning “a dressing table,” each of these words may refer to a state of excessive self-esteem. However, pride may also signify a feeling of satisfaction or happiness (either in oneself or on behalf of others) based on something that is well done; vanity is unlikely to be used in this manner. For a well-worded explanation of this distinction, we might look to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, in which the character Mary opines: “Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.”

Examples of pride in a Sentence

Noun

Being able to work again gave him his pride back. Getting caught cheating stripped him of his pride. Pride would not allow her to give up. It's a matter of pride that he does the work all by himself. The novel is about a family consumed with pride and vanity. They needed help, but their pride wouldn't let them ask for it. I had to swallow my pride and admit I made a mistake. He showed a great pride in his family. These young people are the pride of their community.

Verb

he prides himself on the quality of his writing

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The banner was in the style of the pink, blue, and white Transgender Pride Flag, according to CBS News, which was designed by an Arizona trans woman and first seen at a pride parade in Phoenix in 2000. — Kaylen Ralph, Teen Vogue, "A World Series Trans Pride Banner Drop Gave the TransLatin@ Coalition a Chance to Raise Its Voice," 29 Oct. 2018 Gray takes great pride in being known for commitment to family. — Phoebe Wall Howard, Detroit Free Press, "A daughter of Detroit defies odds, takes car industry into the future," 13 July 2018 Bridget took great pride in her work at Norwich Orthopedic/Orthopedic Partners in Norwich, CT for over 20 years. — courant.com, "Bridget Ann Perry," 12 July 2018 That family tradition continues to this day: The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales and The Duke of Cambridge have all earned their Wings, and wear them with great pride. — Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, "Queen Elizabeth Paid Tribute to Her Father in a Speech to Mark the 100th Anniversary of the Royal Air Force," 10 July 2018 They were made by a group of artisans hailing from the small Catalonian municipality of Oliana, and one of the Olianan performers on site, Jesus Bach Marques, regards them with great pride. — Ryan P. Smith, Smithsonian, "For Hundreds of Years, Papier-Mâché Has Lent a Surreal Face to Catalan Culture," 3 July 2018 The intense pride felt in these moments is one of the things that makes growing up anything but scary. — Jeff Bogle, Good Housekeeping, "14 Reasons Parenting Teenagers Is Better Than You Think It Will Be," 10 Jan. 2019 The pride Kavanaugh takes in his background should do little to dispel the claims against him. — Jennifer Wright, Harper's BAZAAR, "The Benefits of Privilege: Being Rich and White Is Proof You Must Be Good," 5 Oct. 2018 The Cellars-Hohenort Like many of the properties in the residential greenbelt in Constantia, the Cellars-Hohenort is set back from the road—with 10 acres of gardens—the pride and joy of the late Liz McGrath, hotelier and formidable businesswoman. — Jane Broughton, Condé Nast Traveler, "16 Best Hotels in Cape Town," 14 Sep. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The place also prides itself on dessert and digestifs. — Gregory Thomas, SFChronicle.com, "One Day, One Place: Half Moon Bay harbor," 11 July 2018 For a company that prides itself on its gaming creds, Razer’s 13-inch Razer Blade Stealth has always had one weakness: no discrete graphics. — Gordon Mah Ung, PCWorld, "Razer's Blade Stealth gets a long-awaited upgrade to GeForce graphics and a Whiskey Lake CPU," 4 Dec. 2018 Toronto has long prided itself as being one of the safest big cities in the world. — Tamara Lush, The Seattle Times, "Police seek clues to gunman’s Toronto rampage," 24 July 2018 Both are married to actors and pride themselves on being very hands-on parents. — Jenny Allen, Good Housekeeping, "Between Friends," 7 July 2010 Immelt knew Alstom had its problems but hoped to show off the management prowess on which GE prided itself. — Thomas Gryta And Ted Mann, WSJ, "GE Powered the American Century—Then It Burned Out," 14 Dec. 2018 Where to Escape Las Vegas prides itself on being one all-inclusive, escapist fantasyland; whatever happens there isn’t meant to follow you home. — Marley Marius, Vogue, "A Guide to Low-Key (But Still Luxe) Las Vegas," 22 Oct. 2018 Barcelona, Spain Barcelona has long prided itself on its culture, and November showcases an excellent sliver of it. — Mark Ellwood, Condé Nast Traveler, "Best Places to Visit in November," 20 Sep. 2018 Well before the Bad Boy Pistons of the late 1980s and early ’90s, the East prided itself on being mean and edgy. — Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, "Cavaliers have a puncher’s chance in NBA Finals if they get physical," 5 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pride.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.