Cool MatePride vs The smugness
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Pride
Top 1,000 (very common)B2noun
The smugness
Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Most common: Pride
| Pride | The smugness | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/praɪd/"]/🇺🇸 /["/praɪd/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ˈsmʌɡ.nəs//🇺🇸 //ˈsmʌɡ.nəs// |
| Meaning | A feeling of happiness about yourself or someone you care about. | Being overly pleased with oneself. |
| Example | She felt a deep sense of pride after completing the marathon. | His smugness was evident when he bragged about his promotion. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | fierce, great, justifiable, feel, have, swell with, with pride, pride in, a cause for pride, a matter for pride, a source of pride, great, family, masculine, have, hurt, wound, out of pride, through pride, a matter of pride, a sense of pride, with your pride intact | arrogant smugness, smugness of victory, smugness in demeanor, exude smugness, irritating smugness |
| Antonyms | shame, humility | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'prideful' vs 'proud', Using as a verb incorrectly, e.g., 'I pride to be a teacher', Mixing up 'pride' with 'arrogance' | Confused with 'smug', which is an adjective, not a noun., Overusing it in casual contexts where a simpler word might be better., Incorrectly using it in positive situations. |
| Usage notes | Used when someone feels good about their achievements or qualities. Avoid in context where humility is more appropriate; pride can be seen as negative in some cultures. | Use 'smugness' when discussing someone's self-satisfaction that is perceived as annoying. It's neutral, but context can make it seem negative. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Pride vs The smugness
What's the difference between Pride and The smugness?
Pride: A feeling of happiness about yourself or someone you care about. The smugness: Being overly pleased with oneself.
Which is more common: Pride and The smugness?
Pride is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Pride: She felt a deep sense of pride after completing the marathon. The smugness: His smugness was evident when he bragged about his promotion.
Can I use Pride and The smugness interchangeably?
Not always. Pride and The smugness are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.