take pride in

take pride in — idiom

1. to feel proud and happy about something that is yours, that you have done, or th

1.idiomB1
Definition

to feel proud and happy about something that is yours, that you have done, or that someone connected to you has achieved

Example

Nikhil takes great pride in the handmade furniture he builds for local cafés.

take pride in + noun phrase (handmade furniture)

Soraya took obvious pride in her younger brother's graduation from medical school.

collocation: took obvious pride in

Common collocations
  • take great pride in
  • take obvious pride in
  • take considerable pride in
  • take a lot of pride in
  • take immense pride in
  • take quiet pride in
  • take pride in + noun phrase
  • take pride in + gerund
Synonyms
  • be proud of

    more general — describes a state of feeling, while 'take pride in' emphasizes actively drawing that feeling from something

  • take satisfaction in

    slightly more formal; focuses on the fulfilling aspect rather than the public-facing pride

  • revel in

    stronger and more emotional; often implies a sense of delight that may seem self-indulgent

Antonyms
  • be ashamed of

    the direct opposite emotion — feeling shame rather than pride about a connection or action

  • feel embarrassed about

    a milder opposite — discomfort rather than pride regarding something connected to oneself

Grammar Patterns

take pride in + noun/gerund

Usage Note

Subject is usually a person (I, you, she, he, they) or a group (the team, the family, the company). The object must be a noun phrase or a gerund (-ing form). Frequently modified by 'great' or 'obvious': 'takes great pride in', 'took obvious pride in'. Cannot be used with an infinitive (*'takes pride to do').

Common Mistakes

She takes pride from her work.
She takes pride in her work.
the preposition after 'pride' is always 'in', not 'from' or 'of'.
He takes pride to help his neighbours.
He takes pride in helping his neighbours.
the object must be a noun or gerund, not an infinitive.

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

This phrase dates back to the 1500s. The noun 'pride' comes from Old English prȳde, meaning a high opinion of one's own worth. Adding 'take' turns the quality into an action — instead of just having pride, one actively chooses something as a source of pride. The preposition 'in' signals what that source is, a pattern that has remained stable since the phrase first appeared.