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as in triumphant
having or expressing feelings of joy or triumph in his acceptance letter he assured his soon-to-be boss that he was proud to be joining such a fine company

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective proud differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of proud are arrogant, disdainful, haughty, insolent, lordly, overbearing, and supercilious. While all these words mean "showing scorn for inferiors," proud may suggest an assumed superiority or loftiness.

too proud to take charity

When could arrogant be used to replace proud?

The meanings of arrogant and proud largely overlap; however, arrogant implies a claiming for oneself of more consideration or importance than is warranted.

a conceited and arrogant executive

Where would disdainful be a reasonable alternative to proud?

The words disdainful and proud are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, disdainful suggests a more active and openly scornful superciliousness.

disdainful of their social inferiors

When would haughty be a good substitute for proud?

While the synonyms haughty and proud are close in meaning, haughty suggests a consciousness of superior birth or position.

a haughty aristocrat

When might insolent be a better fit than proud?

In some situations, the words insolent and proud are roughly equivalent. However, insolent implies contemptuous haughtiness.

ignored by an insolent waiter

When can lordly be used instead of proud?

Although the words lordly and proud have much in common, lordly implies pomposity or an arrogant display of power.

a lordly condescension

In what contexts can overbearing take the place of proud?

The synonyms overbearing and proud are sometimes interchangeable, but overbearing suggests a tyrannical manner or an intolerable insolence.

an overbearing supervisor

When is it sensible to use supercilious instead of proud?

The words supercilious and proud can be used in similar contexts, but supercilious implies a cool, patronizing haughtiness.

an aloof and supercilious manner

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of proud As for the brewers who did appear in the bracket, Bier Brewery has made its hay over the years with a strong stable of favorites, many of which lean on Central Europe's proud brewing tradition. Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 20 Oct. 2025 Scott Talley is a native Detroiter, a proud product of Detroit Public Schools and a lifelong lover of Detroit culture in its diverse forms. Scott Talley, Freep.com, 20 Oct. 2025 June was proud to be an entertainer. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 20 Oct. 2025 So just really proud of the group. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for proud
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proud
Adjective
  • Three or four decades ago, the newspaperman was appealingly raffish—at once a bum who drank too much and a knight-errant who charged unafraid at social injustice, succored the weak, and crossed lances with the powerful and arrogant.
    David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Elsewhere, the details lifted from the book suffer in translation – Branagh’s Victor is appropriately arrogant but not adequately tortured; De Niro’s Monster is sensitive and intuitive, but drowns in the film’s hurried, hollow second half.
    Rory Doherty, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • However, Ralph has a smug attitude when talking to Brad.
    Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Colum’s smug assurance that the wedding will happen soon is rocked when Ned shows up with news of the Grants’ suspicions about the raid.
    Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Beneath the Sistine Chapel’s magnificent vaulted ceiling, painted by Michelangelo, Charles and Pope Leo XIV prayed together in a special ecumenical service – a first since at least the Reformation.
    Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025
  • The latest temporary exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science is pulling the cover back on one of the planet’s most magnificent animals.
    John Wenzel, Denver Post, 23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Kim Kardashian’s short, sharp press tour wardrobe for her forthcoming Hulu series All’s Fair has been triumphant, delighting in pieces of fashion history and fresh-off-the-runway looks.
    Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Often romanticized and glorified as a triumphant moment in Western histories, Columbus’s travels wreaked havoc in the Caribbean, which became one of the key areas for European expansion and subsequently violent accumulation.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Talking about the huddle, one of his teammates just walked off the field inexplicably (Governor Kugler) taking early retirement and two others (Waller and Bowman) are openly disdainful of his play calling.
    Bob Haber, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2025
  • For decades, the Academy seemed to keep Cruise at a vaguely disdainful distance, dismissing him as more of an action figure than a serious ack-TOOR.
    Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2025
Adjective
  • The Oceans 11 star said that being in such close proximity to major stars taught him an important lesson early in his career.
    Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025
  • For Arsenal, consistency of performances and results is so important to Arteta, with the 43-year-old often highlighting its significance in building them back to being one of Europe’s elite sides.
    Mark Carey, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • According to the Greek historian Herodotus, who composed his glorious amalgamation of legend and fact in the fourth-century BC, Helen never even reached Troy because Paris’s ship was blown off course.
    Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Bearzot was a more attack-minded coach than many of his predecessors, favouring a front three and a glorious playmaker in Fiorentina’s Giancarlo Antognoni, who recovered from a fractured skull to be fit for the tournament.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Winged Beavers coach Jon Wholley was ecstatic.
    Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Irwin, who is a wildlife conservationist and the son of late Crocodile Hunter star Steve Irwin, posted a video on Instagram that captured his ecstatic surprise upon receiving a massive bouquet of flowers from Bailey.
    Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Proud.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proud. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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