pride

1 of 2

noun

ˈprīd 

plural prides

1

: the quality or state of being proud: such as

a

: reasonable self-esteem : confidence and satisfaction in oneself : self-respect

There were no injuries, except for a few cases of severely wounded pride.

—McCandlish Phillips

… it is so painful a thing to miss what you want when you have done your very best to obtain it! To struggle in vain always hurts the pride …

—Anthony Trollope

Dressing to the nines on a tight budget is a matter of pride. [=something done in order to maintain one's pride] "When you're young you don't have to care about fashion," says Mr Wu, 82. "But when you're old, you have to."

—The Economist

b

: pleasure that comes from some relationship, association, achievement, or possession that is seen as a source of honor, respect, etc.

Family members watched with pride as the students took the stage.

professional/civic pride

a beautifully decorated house that shows great pride of ownership

craftspeople who take pride in their work

There's a real sense of pride that the neighborhood finally has a destination restaurant.

—Ruth Reichl

c

: exaggerated self-esteem : conceit

Almost all the ancient vices—envy, wrath, greed, pride and, notably, lust—can, and will, be facilitated by the internet over the course of the show.

—John Anderson

Ingratitude was condemned …, the sinfulness of pride was pointed out—together with the proverbial fact that it "goes before a fall."

—Joseph Conrad

He [Henry Worsley] was, he knew, blinded by pride; as he later wrote, he could not be seen as "admitting to weakness."

—David Grann

Interest and ambition exercise considerable sway among them; but pride and vanity none: the distinctions of rank produce little impression.

—Germaine de Staël

Swallow your pride and ask for help—if you're lucky enough to have it.

—Jessica Irvine

also : behavior that reflects such an attitude

I would gladly suffer his haughty pride and sharp tongue for her sake.

—Diane Stanley

2

a

sometimes Pride : respect and appreciation for oneself and others as members of a group and especially a marginalized group : solidarity with a group based on a shared identity, history, and experience

Growing up in the 70s, she was immersed in shows of Black pride, activism, and bold style.

—Jasmine Browley

a symbol of gay Pride

b

usually Pride : an event or series of events celebrating and affirming the rights, equality, and culture of LGBTQ people

… Madrid's take on Pride … starts each year in late June and runs through early July. What used to be a small celebration in the late 1970s has since grown into one of the largest celebrations of LGBTQ pride in Europe.

—Meena Thiruvengadam

celebrating Gay/LGBT/LGBTQ Pride

—often used before another noun

June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month. This month-long celebration demonstrates how LGBTQ Americans have strengthened our country, by using their talent and creativity to help create awareness and goodwill. The first Pride March in New York City was held on June 28, 1970, on the one year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising.

—Library of Congress

The rainbow colors of the flags that wave at Pride parades are meant to celebrate the diversity of a community that includes people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and—all the rest.

—Sean Thomas-Breitfeld

3

: a source of pride : a person or thing that makes you feel proud

The school's award-winning choir is the pride of the town.

Outside the house, the pride of the property is an eighteenth-century herb garden.

—Joseph J. Thorndike, Jr.

4

a

: a group of lions living together

Male lions stay with the pride until they are displaced by other male lions. Lionesses stay forever.

—John Corry

The lions' basic social unit is the pride—a permanent social group consisting of two to eighteen adult females and their offspring and one to seven resident adult males.

—Anne Pusey and Craig Packer

b

: a showy or pretentious group

the queen surrounded by a pride of gaily dressed ladies

a pompous pride of civic notables

5

a

archaic : ostentatious or showy display

Farewell the plumed troop and the big wars / That make ambition virtue! O, farewell, … The royal banner, and all quality, / Pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war!

—William Shakespeare

Since the foundation of Rome, no general had more nobly deserved a triumph than Aurelian; nor was a triumph ever celebrated with superior pride and magnificence.

—Edward Gibbon

b

: the most active, thriving, or satisfying stage or period : prime

in the pride of one's youth

In the pride of her beauty she had been married …

—William Makepeace Thackeray

pride

2 of 2

verb

prided; priding

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

Synonyms

Noun

• pridefulness
• confidence
• ego
• self-respect

Verb

• congratulate
• plume

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

Some take great pride in breaking down their method. —Snigdha Poonam, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025

The pride of Odysseus, the passion of Shakespeare’s lovers, and the dread facing Ivan Ilyich on his deathbed remain inextinguishable qualities of our inner lives. —Big Think, 28 Oct. 2025

Verb

Bright prides himself on his defense, which is something valued highly by Mascherano, who also was known as a relentless defensive midfielder. —Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2025

The move has provoked fierce criticism in France, a country that prides itself on craftsmanship, sustainability and haute couture. —NPR, 28 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English prȳde, from prūd proud — more at proud

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing pride

• badge of honor/pride
• be puffed (up) with pride
• matter of pride
• pride and joy
• pride of place
• pride oneself on
• puff (up) with pride
• self-pride
• Swallow your pride
• take pride in

Rhymes for pride

• bide
• bride
• chide
• cried
• died
• dried
• dyed
• eid
• eide
• eyed
• flied
• fried

Kids Definition

pride

1 of 2 noun

ˈprīd 

1

: too high an opinion of one's own ability or worth : a feeling of being better than others

2

: a reasonable and justifiable sense of one's own worth : self-respect

3

: a sense of pleasure that comes from some act or possession

4

: something of which one is proud

our pride and joy

5

: a group of lions

pride

2 of 2 verb

prided; priding

: to think highly of (oneself)

Biographical Definition

Pride

biographical name

ˈprīd 

Thomas died 1658 English Parliamentarian commander