proud

/praʊd/ (bre, ipa) · [prˈaʊd] /praʊd/ (ame, ipa) · [prˈaʊd] /ˈprau̇d/ (ame, mw)

proud — adjective

  • proudpositive
  • proudercomparative
  • proudestsuperlative

1. experiencing a warm sense of achievement because you or someone connected with y

1.形容詞B1
釋義

experiencing a warm sense of achievement because you or someone connected with you has done something well or earned something good.

例句

Aarav felt very proud when his team won the school science competition.

be proud when [event happens]

Ada was proud of the painting she had spent three months finishing.

proud of + noun phrase

同義詞
  • pleased

    milder than proud; suggests satisfaction without the same sense of personal achievement

  • satisfied

    focuses on a feeling of contentment rather than emotional pride

  • delighted

    emphasizes strong happiness, often about an unexpected success

反義詞
  • ashamed

    the direct opposite emotion to pride

  • embarrassed

    focuses on discomfort rather than moral failure

文法句型

be proud of [someone/something]

be proud to [infinitive]

be proud that [clause]

用法筆記

Commonly used in the pattern 'proud of + noun/gerund' to link the feeling to a specific achievement or possession. The that-clause pattern is more common in formal writing than in everyday speech.

常見錯誤

❌I am proud for my son.
✅I am proud of my son.
💡the preposition is always 'of', not 'for'.
❌She was proud from winning the race.
✅She was proud of winning the race.
💡use 'of' not 'from' after proud.

2. having a strong sense of your own worth, which stops you from behaving in a way

2.形容詞B2
釋義

having a strong sense of your own worth, which stops you from behaving in a way that others might think is weak or wrong.

例句

Antonia was too proud to ask her parents for money when she had little left.

too proud to + infinitive (refusing to lower dignity)

The old fisherman was a proud man who would never accept charity from anyone.

proud as an attributive adjective describing character

同義詞
  • dignified

    emphasizes calm, controlled self-respect in behaviour

  • self-respecting

    directly describes someone who values their own worth

反義詞
  • humble

    describes someone who does not insist on their own importance or dignity

文法句型

too proud to [infinitive]

proud + noun (attributive)

用法筆記

Frequently appears in the pattern 'too proud to + infinitive', which describes someone who refuses to do something because it would damage their dignity. This sense is different from sense 1 (PLEASED WITH ACHIEVEMENT) because it does not require any specific achievement — it is about a person's general attitude toward their own worth.

常見錯誤

❌He was too proud for ask for help.
✅He was too proud to ask for help.
💡'too [adjective] to [verb]' is the correct structure.

3. believing that you are more important, clever, or talented than other people, of

3.形容詞B2
釋義

believing that you are more important, clever, or talented than other people, often shown through unfriendly or dismissive behaviour.

例句

Vinícius was so proud that he never took advice from anyone on the team.

so proud that (negative consequence)

Talia smiled proudly when younger students asked for help, as if she were above them.

proud smile (negative reading from context)

同義詞
  • arrogant

    the closest direct synonym; openly shows a sense of superiority

  • conceited

    focuses on having an exaggeratedly high opinion of oneself

  • haughty

    suggests cold, unfriendly superiority; more formal

反義詞
  • humble

    describes someone who does not think they are better than others

  • modest

    describes someone who does not boast about their abilities

文法句型

be proud + adverb (e.g. 'too proud')

proud + noun

用法筆記

This sense carries a negative or disapproving tone. The context of the sentence (e.g. refusal, dismissive behaviour) usually signals the negative meaning, since the same words ('proud smile', 'proud man') can be positive in sense 1 or 2. Look for clues like refusing help, looking down on others, or an unsympathetic context.

常見錯誤

❌She was too proud to talk to us.' — This could mean sense 2 (self-respect) or sense 3 (arrogance).
✅Add context: 'She was too proud to talk to us because she thought we were beneath her.
💡the reason clarifies the negative meaning.

4. describing an event, achievement, or moment that makes you feel happy and satisf

4.形容詞B2
釋義

describing an event, achievement, or moment that makes you feel happy and satisfied because it is important or successful.

例句

Graduation day was a proud moment for every student who had worked so hard.

proud moment — common collocation for life events

The school celebrated a proud achievement when ten students won national awards.

proud achievement — collocation with accomplishment

同義詞
  • glorious

    more intense and dramatic; suggests great honour and splendour

  • memorable

    focuses on being worth remembering, not necessarily with pride

反義詞
  • shameful

    describes something that causes feelings of shame rather than pride

文法句型

proud + noun (day / moment / achievement / occasion)

用法筆記

This sense is almost always used before a noun (attributive), not after a verb like 'be'. You say 'a proud day', not 'the day was proud'. This distinguishes it from sense 1, where 'proud' describes a person's feeling. Compare: 'I am proud of my achievement' (sense 1) vs 'It was a proud achievement' (sense 5).

常見錯誤

❌The moment was proud.
✅It was a proud moment.
💡when describing an event as worthy of pride, 'proud' must come before the noun.

5. rising slightly above the surface or edge that surrounds it, so that part of the

5.形容詞C1
釋義

rising slightly above the surface or edge that surrounds it, so that part of the object can be seen or felt.

例句

Eitan noticed a nail standing proud of the floor that could hurt someone's foot.

stand proud of [surface] — technical collocation

The screws were so tight that the heads did not sit proud of the metal sheet.

同義詞
  • protruding

    the most common general synonym; used across many contexts

  • projecting

    slightly more formal than protruding

  • raised

    simpler word but less specific about the degree of elevation

反義詞
  • flush

    describes something level with the surrounding surface, not sticking out

  • recessed

    describes something set back from the surface

文法句型

proud + noun

stand proud of [something]

用法筆記

This sense is largely used in technical or craft contexts (carpentry, engineering, metalwork) and often pairs with the verb 'stand' — 'stand proud of [something]'. It is much less common in everyday conversation than senses 1–3.

常見錯誤

❌The nail was proud from the wood.
✅The nail stood proud of the wood.
💡the correct preposition is 'of', and the verb 'stand' is the most common collocation.

6. large, beautiful, and impressive to look at; having a quality of grandness that

6.形容詞C1
釋義

large, beautiful, and impressive to look at; having a quality of grandness that commands admiration.

例句

The proud castle stood on the hill, visible from every part of the valley.

proud + building (stately/majestic)

Three proud ships sailed into the harbour with their flags flying in the wind.

同義詞
  • magnificent

    the most direct synonym; describes something extremely beautiful and grand

  • imposing

    emphasizes the feeling of being impressed by size or appearance

  • grand

    simpler word; suggests impressive scale or style

反義詞
  • humble

    describes something small, simple, or unimpressive in appearance

文法句型

proud + noun (building / ship / tree / city)

用法筆記

This is a formal or literary sense, most often found in descriptions of architecture, nature, or ships. It is rarely used in everyday conversation. The noun it describes is typically something large and stationary (buildings, trees, mountains) or grand in movement (ships, armies).

常見錯誤

❌My new phone looks proud.
✅The proud castle stood on the hill.
💡this sense only works with grand, impressive objects like buildings, ships, or large trees, not everyday items.