Feeling proud is something everyone experiences. Maybe you scored a goal in soccer or got a gold star on your homework. When people feel proud, they sometimes use special phrases called idioms. These idioms help describe that happy feeling in a fun and interesting way. They don’t always mean exactly what the words say, but they help us talk about our feelings in a better way.
In this article, we will look at idioms that show pride. These are phrases people use when they feel happy about something they or someone else has done. Some of them are about standing tall, while others are about holding your head up. You might have heard these before, and now you’ll learn what they really mean. Let’s get started!
Idioms For Pride
1. Burst with pride
Meaning: Feel very proud
Give an Instance: Mom burst with pride when I got an A. / He burst with pride after winning the spelling bee.
Substitute Meaning: Felt very happy / Swelled with pride
2. Pat on the back
Meaning: Praise or recognition
Give an Instance: The teacher gave her a pat on the back for good work. / Dad gave me a pat on the back after the game.
Substitute Meaning: Good job / Praise
3. Walk tall
Meaning: Feel proud and confident
Give an Instance: He walked tall after finishing his science project. / She walked tall when she helped her friend.
Substitute Meaning: Proud feeling / Stand proud
4. Hold one’s head high
Meaning: Stay proud even if things are hard
Give an Instance: She held her head high after the loss. / He held his head high after trying his best.
Substitute Meaning: Stay proud / Keep dignity
5. Feather in one’s cap
Meaning: Something to be proud of
Give an Instance: Winning the contest was a feather in her cap. / Getting the prize was a feather in his cap.
Substitute Meaning: Great achievement / Proud moment
6. On top of the world
Meaning: Feel very happy and proud
Give an Instance: I felt on top of the world after my dance show. / He was on top of the world when he scored a goal.
Substitute Meaning: Very happy / Feeling great
7. Make one’s mark
Meaning: Do something important
Give an Instance: She made her mark with her art. / He made his mark by helping others.
Substitute Meaning: Did something big / Showed talent
8. Stand out from the crowd
Meaning: Be different in a good way
Give an Instance: His speech stood out from the crowd. / Her painting stood out in the contest.
Substitute Meaning: Be special / Be noticed
9. Beaming with pride
Meaning: Smiling proudly
Give an Instance: He was beaming with pride after the show. / She was beaming with pride when her name was called.
Substitute Meaning: Very proud / Smiling big
10. Do oneself proud
Meaning: Do something well that makes you proud
Give an Instance: She did herself proud in the spelling test. / I did myself proud by helping a friend.
Substitute Meaning: Did well / Feel proud
11. Proud as a peacock
Meaning: Very proud
Give an Instance: He looked proud as a peacock in his new suit. / She felt proud as a peacock after the win.
Substitute Meaning: Full of pride / Very proud
12. Make someone proud
Meaning: Do something good to make others proud
Give an Instance: He made his teacher proud with his effort. / She made her parents proud at the show.
Substitute Meaning: Bring pride / Do something good
13. Carry with pride
Meaning: Be proud of something
Give an Instance: She carried her trophy with pride. / He carried his drawing with pride.
Substitute Meaning: Be proud of / Show pride
14. Glow with pride
Meaning: Show pride with a happy face
Give an Instance: He glowed with pride after the award. / She glowed with pride when praised.
Substitute Meaning: Smile proudly / Feel proud inside
15. Put on a proud face
Meaning: Show that you’re proud
Give an Instance: She put on a proud face even when nervous. / He put on a proud face after trying his best.
Substitute Meaning: Look proud / Be brave
16. Ride high
Meaning: Feel proud and happy
Give an Instance: She was riding high after the good news. / He rode high on the praise from his coach.
Substitute Meaning: Feeling proud / Happy and proud
17. Full of pride
Meaning: Have a strong feeling of pride
Give an Instance: I was full of pride after building my model. / He felt full of pride for helping.
Substitute Meaning: Very proud / Proud feeling
18. Bask in the glory
Meaning: Enjoy being praised
Give an Instance: She basked in the glory of winning. / He basked in the glory after the goal.
Substitute Meaning: Enjoy praise / Take in the pride
19. A shining moment
Meaning: A time to be proud
Give an Instance: Her speech was a shining moment. / The play was his shining moment.
Substitute Meaning: Best moment / Proud time
20. Walk in glory
Meaning: Feel proud and honored
Give an Instance: He walked in glory after the big win. / She walked in glory after her team cheered.
Substitute Meaning: Feel honored / Be proud
21. Take pride in
Meaning: Feel good about what you do
Give an Instance: She takes pride in her drawings. / He takes pride in keeping his desk neat.
Substitute Meaning: Be proud of / Feel good about
22. Look proud
Meaning: Show pride on your face
Give an Instance: He looked proud after the race. / She looked proud during her speech.
Substitute Meaning: Show pride / Face full of pride
23. Win praise
Meaning: Get others to say good things about you
Give an Instance: He won praise for helping. / She won praise for being kind.
Substitute Meaning: Be told “good job” / Get compliments
24. Feel ten feet tall
Meaning: Feel very proud
Give an Instance: He felt ten feet tall when he won. / I felt ten feet tall when she said thank you.
Substitute Meaning: Stand proud / Feel big
25. Raise the bar
Meaning: Do something so well it sets a high goal
Give an Instance: Her project raised the bar. / His art raised the bar for the class.
Substitute Meaning: Set a high standard / Do something great
26. Shine bright
Meaning: Stand out proudly
Give an Instance: She shined bright in the talent show. / He shined bright at the science fair.
Substitute Meaning: Be noticed / Do well
27. Step into the spotlight
Meaning: Get attention for something good
Give an Instance: He stepped into the spotlight with his story. / She stepped into the spotlight on stage.
Substitute Meaning: Be seen / Get praise
28. Proud moment
Meaning: A time to feel good
Give an Instance: Graduation was a proud moment. / Helping her friend was his proud moment.
Substitute Meaning: Special time / Feel-good event
29. Take a bow
Meaning: Be recognized for something good
Give an Instance: She took a bow after the play. / He took a bow after finishing his poem.
Substitute Meaning: Get praise / Say thanks
30. Be the star
Meaning: Be the best at something
Give an Instance: He was the star of the show. / She was the star during the reading game.
Substitute Meaning: Be number one / Top person
31. Be proud of oneself
Meaning: Feel proud about what you did
Give an Instance: I was proud of myself for being honest. / He was proud of himself after the race.
Substitute Meaning: Feel good / Like what you did
32. Bragging rights
Meaning: The right to talk proudly about success
Give an Instance: Winning gave her bragging rights. / He earned bragging rights with his score.
Substitute Meaning: A reason to be proud / Win and show it
33. Lead the way
Meaning: Be first and do it well
Give an Instance: She led the way in the project. / He led the way by sharing ideas.
Substitute Meaning: Be the example / Show how
34. A proud day
Meaning: A day full of pride
Give an Instance: The award ceremony was a proud day. / Her first recital was a proud day.
Substitute Meaning: Special day / Big moment
35. March with pride
Meaning: Move with confidence and honor
Give an Instance: They marched with pride at the school parade. / He marched with pride at the game.
Substitute Meaning: Show pride / Step with confidence
36. Be honored
Meaning: Feel proud and thankful
Give an Instance: She felt honored to be chosen. / He was honored to help.
Substitute Meaning: Be proud / Feel lucky
37. Make a name for oneself
Meaning: Become well known for something good
Give an Instance: He made a name for himself in math. / She made a name for herself with her singing.
Substitute Meaning: Become known / Be respected
38. Set an example
Meaning: Show others how to do it right
Give an Instance: He set an example by cleaning up. / She set an example by being kind.
Substitute Meaning: Be a model / Show the way
39. Outshine others
Meaning: Do better than everyone
Give an Instance: She outshone the rest with her smile. / He outshined others in the test.
Substitute Meaning: Be the best / Do really well
40. Earn respect
Meaning: Get others to look up to you
Give an Instance: He earned respect by being honest. / She earned respect through hard work.
Substitute Meaning: Be looked up to / Win trust
41. Do something worth remembering
Meaning: Do something important
Give an Instance: Her speech was worth remembering. / His kind act was worth remembering.
Substitute Meaning: Special thing / Big impact
42. Stand with pride
Meaning: Be proud in how you act
Give an Instance: He stood with pride after the play. / She stood with pride after her team won.
Substitute Meaning: Show pride / Be confident
43. Get a gold star
Meaning: Get a reward for doing well
Give an Instance: She got a gold star for her reading. / He got a gold star for being helpful.
Substitute Meaning: Reward / Sign of success
44. Be proud in silence
Meaning: Feel proud without saying it out loud
Give an Instance: He was proud in silence after helping. / She was proud in silence after her art was shown.
Substitute Meaning: Quiet pride / Inner joy
45. Leave a good mark
Meaning: Do something people remember kindly
Give an Instance: He left a good mark on the class. / Her kindness left a good mark on others.
Substitute Meaning: Be remembered / Do good things
Find the “Idioms for Pride”
Reading Passage
It was the day of the big school play, and everyone was excited. Mia had practiced her lines for weeks. Her teacher told her to walk tall and hold her head high. When she stepped on stage, her mom in the front row was beaming with pride.
After the play, the whole class clapped. Mr. Allen said, “You should all feel ten feet tall!” Mia’s performance truly stood out from the crowd, and she was happy to take a bow.
Backstage, her friends gave her a hug and said she really made her mark. Her dad said the show was a proud moment for everyone. Mia glowed with pride as she held her flower bouquet.
Later that evening, she told her little brother, “I really did myself proud today!” He smiled and replied, “You totally shined bright out there!”
Directions for Students
Read the story again. Find and underline or list all the idioms for pride.
Answer Key
- Walk tall
- Hold her head high
- Beaming with pride
- Feel ten feet tall
- Stood out from the crowd
- Take a bow
- Made her mark
- Proud moment
- Glowed with pride
- Did myself proud
- Shined bright
Conclusion
Pride is a strong and happy feeling. When we do something good, we feel proud. Idioms help us talk about those moments in fun ways. Instead of just saying “I’m proud,” we can use phrases like “walk tall” or “make a mark.”
These idioms help make our stories more interesting. Now that you know many idioms for pride, try using them when you talk or write. They make your words stronger and more colorful. And remember, it’s always okay to feel proud when you do your best.
