1
as in proud
having or displaying feelings of scorn for what is regarded as beneath oneself
prideful intellectuals long considered rock music unworthy of serious study
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in smug
having too high an opinion of oneself
at the wedding the prideful snobs ignored their poor relations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in triumphant
having or expressing feelings of joy or triumph
flashed a prideful smile as she received her college diploma
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prideful
As someone who has a prideful demeanor, this can be challenging.
—
Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 26 Dec. 2025
Darcy’s transformation from prideful and prejudiced (and Elizabeth’s in turn) is why the love story works, and why fans love it so.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 15 Nov. 2025
The chemtrail theory is ultimately prideful.
—Calum Lister Matheson, The Conversation, 14 Nov. 2025
There was no backlash to Ceferin’s words, no prideful defensiveness.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prideful
Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 26 Dec. 2025
Darcy’s transformation from prideful and prejudiced (and Elizabeth’s in turn) is why the love story works, and why fans love it so.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 15 Nov. 2025
The chemtrail theory is ultimately prideful.
—Calum Lister Matheson, The Conversation, 14 Nov. 2025
There was no backlash to Ceferin’s words, no prideful defensiveness.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prideful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prideful
Adjective
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Nicole Hensley came to Ball Arena a year ago, proud and excited to be part of the first PWHL game in her hometown.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Authentic and proud cultural celebrations, luaus are uniquely entertaining and, at times, simply mesmerizing with Polynesian dancing and drumming as well as chants, songs and stories about ancient traditions, legends and epic Pacific Ocean migrations.—
Ben Davidson,
Mercury News,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Adam McKay’s toxically smug dissection of Dick Cheney fails to take the full measure of this monstrous vice-president, but even so, Bale taps into something elemental about the man’s arrogance and domineering personality.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
7 Mar. 2026
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Most everyone in attendance at 2220 seemed to be there to meet or support one of their favorite artists, one of the devout purists of our time who manages to remain that without getting smug, lazy or feral, all common pitfalls.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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When The Departed becomes a hit, the narrative of Wahlberg versus Damon becomes a triumphant tale of King Marty keeping his hot-blooded A-listers in check.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
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But momentum has shifted to Jordan in the closing weeks, thanks to his more subdued affect on the red carpets and a triumphant win at the Actor Awards earlier this month.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This is an organization that can be frustratingly set in its ways and arrogant in its belief that there’s no better way.—
Jeff Zrebiec,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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Planning for more than 11 contests out of Dobbins, something only produced twice over his first six NFL seasons, isn’t just arrogant.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Avoid Burying Praise in Negatives To avoid making children too conceited, parents might bury praise in the midst of negatives.—
Wayne Parker,
Parents,
8 Mar. 2026
-
The Pitt definitely feels like the type of workplace where conceited doctors-in-training are pretty much guaranteed to quickly get knocked down a peg.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Even rave, which, frenzied and ecstatic, seems the opposite, had its own logic of form.—
Jan Steyn,
The Dial,
10 Mar. 2026
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But after seeing his name next to many minuses lately, Levshunov was ecstatic Sunday to finally be on the positive side after a game.—
Scott Powers,
New York Times,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In character as a free spirit who scorns social convention, Davis is all haughty tosses of the head and sneering lines.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
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Stella crossed the street and loitered outside the store window displaying haughty mannequins flaunting swagger coats.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In her final words, a Bronx mother cops say was stabbed to death by her longtime boyfriend apologized to her children — who witnessed her bloody slaying and tried in vain to stop it.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
2 Mar. 2026
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All parents battle that wall, nearly always in vain.—
Yiyun Li,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prideful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prideful. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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