- Have you ever wondered whether you should “make,” “take,” or “feel” pride in your work?
- Do you know the difference between “swallowing your pride” and having “wounded pride”?
- Are you looking for more sophisticated ways to describe being proud without repeating the same basic adjectives?
Mastering pride collocations is essential for reaching natural fluency in English. Because “pride” functions as both a feeling and an action, using the wrong verb or preposition can instantly mark you as a learner. This guide will help you navigate these nuances to express self-confidence and dignity like a native speaker.
Essential Collocations using PRIDE as a Noun
As a noun, “pride” refers to the feeling of satisfaction or a high opinion of one’s own worth. In 2024, it is most commonly paired with specific verbs and adjectives in professional and personal growth contexts.
Verbs Used with Pride
- Take pride in: To get satisfaction from something you do well.
Example: “Our team takes great pride in delivering projects ahead of schedule.” - Swallow one’s pride: To humble oneself and accept something embarrassing or difficult.
Example: “He had to swallow his pride and ask his parents for a loan.” - Feel pride: The internal emotion of satisfaction.
Example: “It is natural to feel a sense of pride after graduating from university.” - Hurt/Wound someone’s pride: To make someone feel less confident or respected.
Example: “Losing the debate really wounded his pride.” - Be bursting with pride: To feel an extreme amount of pride that is hard to contain.
Example: “Her parents were bursting with pride during the ceremony.”
Adjectives Used with Pride
- Immense pride: A very large or deep feeling of satisfaction.
Example: “The coach looked at the gold medalist with immense pride.” - Fierce pride: A very strong, almost defensive sense of self-worth.
Example: “The local community has a fierce pride in its history.” - Wounded pride: The feeling of being offended or humiliated.
Example: “He walked away quickly, nursing his wounded pride.” - False pride: Having an unfairly high opinion of oneself based on something unimportant.
Example: “Don’t let false pride stop you from admitting your mistakes.”
Noun + “of Pride” Phrases
- A sense of pride: The general feeling of accomplishment.
Example: “Completing the marathon gave her a massive sense of pride.” - A source of pride: Something that makes you feel proud.
Example: “The new library is a source of pride for the entire city.” - A blow to one’s pride: An event that makes you feel less successful or important.
Example: “Failing the driving test was a significant blow to his pride.”
Common Collocations with PRIDE as a Verb
When used as a verb, “pride” is almost always used in a reflexive way (with myself, herself, themselves, etc.) and is followed by a specific preposition. It is a more formal and sophisticated way to say you are proud of something.
The Phrasal Structure: Pride oneself on
- Pride oneself on (something/doing something): To value a particular quality or skill that you have.
Example: “This restaurant prides itself on using only locally sourced ingredients.” - Pride oneself on (one’s work/achievements):
Example: “As a lawyer, she prides herself on her meticulous attention to detail.”
The Master Summary Table
| Collocation | Part of Speech | Quick Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Take pride in | Verb + Noun | To do something with care and feel good about it. |
| Pride oneself on | Reflexive Verb | To be known for and proud of a specific trait. |
| A sense of pride | Noun Phrase | The overall emotion of feeling proud. |
| Swallow your pride | Verb + Noun | To stop being stubborn and admit you need help. |
| Immense pride | Adjective + Noun | A very high level of satisfaction. |
| Wounded pride | Adjective + Noun | The feeling of being hurt by failure or criticism. |
Common Mistakes: Natural vs Unnatural
| Do Not Say | Say This |
|---|---|
| I have pride for my son. | I take pride in my son. / I am proud of my son. |
| She prides on her cooking. | She prides herself on her cooking. |
| It was a big hurt to my pride. | It was a blow to my pride. / It wounded my pride. |
| He makes much pride in his car. | He takes great pride in his car. |
Contextual Story
“When Sarah was promoted to Creative Director, she felt an immense pride in her journey. She had always taken pride in her ability to solve complex problems, and this new role was a source of pride for her entire family. However, she knew that to succeed, she would occasionally have to swallow her pride and ask for feedback from her team. She prided herself on being a collaborative leader, ensuring that her sense of pride never turned into arrogance.”
Frequently Asked Questions about Pride Collocations
Which preposition should I use after “pride”?
It depends on the part of speech. If you use the noun, it is “take pride in.” If you use the reflexive verb, it is “pride oneself on.” If you use the adjective “proud,” it is “proud of.”
Is “pride” always a positive word?
Not always. While “taking pride in your work” is positive, phrases like “false pride” or “hubris” refer to an unhealthy or arrogant level of self-importance that can lead to mistakes.
What does “a pride of lions” mean?
In English, “pride” is also the collective noun for a group of lions. This is a specific biological term and is not related to the emotion of pride, though it evokes a sense of majesty.
Can I say “I pride in my work”?
No, this is grammatically incorrect. You must either say “I take pride in my work” (noun usage) or “I pride myself on my work” (verb usage).
What is the difference between “wounded pride” and “swallowing pride”?
“Wounded pride” is a feeling of being hurt or embarrassed. “Swallowing your pride” is the action of deciding to ignore your ego to do what is necessary, like apologizing or asking for help.
So, if I want to say someone has a lot of pride, can I say 'they have great pride' or 'they are in great pride'? Is there a difference?
That's a good distinction to think about, Chloe! You would most naturally say 'they have great pride' or 'they show great pride' when referring to someone possessing a lot of this feeling. 'They are in great pride' is not a common or idiomatic collocation in English. We typically say 'they are in a state of pride' or, more simply, 'they are very proud' if we want to express the current emotional state directly.
In my native language, we have a similar expression for 'swallow one's pride' that literally translates to 'put down one's head.' It's fascinating how different languages arrive at similar concepts.
This article beautifully illustrates the difference between healthy self-respect and arrogance, even without explicitly stating it. 'Swallow one's pride' implies overcoming ego, while 'take pride in' speaks to genuine accomplishment. Wonderful insight!
You've captured the essence perfectly, Lena! That's exactly the nuance we hoped to convey. The collocations themselves often carry these subtle distinctions, allowing speakers to express complex feelings about 'pride' with precision. Thank you for highlighting this important point!
The examples made a huge difference! I always struggled with 'pride' because it felt abstract, but seeing it in context like 'Our team takes great pride' really helps it stick.
This is a fantastic resource for my advanced students! I'm particularly interested in the point about 'sophisticated ways to describe being proud.' Could we get a follow-up with more synonyms or idiomatic expressions that convey pride without explicitly using the word 'pride'?
We're thrilled you find it useful, Maria! Expanding on synonyms and idiomatic expressions is a brilliant idea. We could explore phrases like 'hold one's head high,' 'puffed up with pride' (for negative connotation), or simply describing actions that demonstrate pride. Consider it added to our content ideas list! Thanks for the excellent feedback.
I'm curious, are these collocations generally the same across different English dialects, like American English and British English? Or are there slight variations in how 'pride' is used?
The idiom 'swallow one's pride' is new for me. It sounds a bit strange! So it means you have to accept something that makes you feel bad about yourself? Is it common to use in everyday conversation?
You're right, Aisha, it means exactly that – to humble yourself and accept something difficult or embarrassing. And yes, it is quite a common and natural idiom to use in everyday conversation, especially when discussing difficult decisions or interpersonal conflicts. It effectively conveys the internal struggle of putting ego aside for a practical reason.
As someone who's been learning English for years, I can confirm that collocations are the secret sauce to sounding truly fluent. This article is a brilliant reminder of why we shouldn't just learn words in isolation.
This is excellent! I often find myself saying 'very proud' or 'so proud.' Are there more sophisticated adjectives or adverbs to use with 'pride' to elevate my vocabulary, similar to what you mentioned in the intro?
What a great question, Priya! Absolutely. Instead of just 'very proud,' you can express a deeper or more specific feeling. Consider: 'immense pride,' 'justifiable pride,' 'unmistakable pride,' 'fierce pride,' 'quiet pride,' or 'boundless pride.' For adverbs, 'genuinely feel pride' or 'rightfully takes pride' add nuance. Keep expanding that vocabulary!
Prepositions with abstract nouns are always tricky for me. 'Take pride *in*' and 'feel pride' make so much sense now with the examples. Thank you for making it clear!