Ask Difference

Honor vs. Pride — What's the Difference?

By Urooj Arif & Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 11, 2024
Honor involves respect and admiration, while pride relates to self-esteem and satisfaction.
Honor vs. Pride — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Honor and Pride

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Key Differences

Honor refers to the quality of knowing and doing what is morally right, and it is often bestowed upon individuals by others in recognition of their integrity or achievements. In contrast, pride is an inwardly directed emotion that reflects one's own sense of self-worth or satisfaction with personal or close associates' achievements.
Honor implies a sense of duty and ethical conduct that aligns with societal or specific group standards. It encompasses actions and behaviors that are considered commendable and worthy of respect. Meanwhile, pride can be positive, stemming from genuine accomplishments and personal growth, or negative, leading to arrogance or disdain for others.
Honor can be deeply rooted in societal norms and traditions, influencing social interactions and personal behavior. It often carries implications for one's social standing and relationships. Pride, on the other hand, is more personal and can vary significantly from one individual to another, influenced by personal values, achievements, and perceptions of self.
In relationships and social interactions, honor tends to focus on the external acknowledgment of one’s virtues or deeds, often through formal recognition or respect from others. Pride, conversely, is more about an internal state of satisfaction or fulfillment, which may or may not be recognized externally.
While honor is associated with altruism, humility, and the respect of others, pride is closely linked to self-awareness, confidence, and sometimes, the risk of egoism. Both concepts play significant roles in shaping individual and collective identities, but they stem from different motivations and outcomes.
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Comparison Chart

Definition

Respect and admiration received from others.
Self-esteem and satisfaction from one’s achievements.

Source

External recognition and ethical conduct.
Internal feelings and personal accomplishments.

Cultural Aspect

Rooted in societal norms and traditions.
Influenced by personal values and perceptions.

Social Implications

Affects social standing and interpersonal relationships.
Personal and varies in its external expression.

Associated Behaviors

Altruism, humility, duty.
Confidence, self-awareness, potentially arrogance.

Compare with Definitions

Honor

Involves ethical conduct and living up to communal standards.
His commitment to honesty earned him great honor among his peers.

Pride

A feeling of self-respect and personal worth from one’s own or close associates' achievements.
He felt immense pride in his daughter's academic accomplishments.

Honor

Deeply embedded in traditions, reflecting values and norms.
In many cultures, family honor plays a critical role in social interactions.

Pride

Manifests differently across cultures and individuals.
Cultural pride during national holidays unites communities in celebration.

Honor

Encourages actions that are considered morally right and respectable.
He donated anonymously, seeking honor not for recognition but for the act itself.

Pride

Can signify healthy self-esteem or lead to arrogance.
His pride in his heritage was a source of strength, while his pride in being unbeatable led to arrogance.

Honor

A quality that combines respect, admiration, and integrity, often recognized by others.
She received a medal of honor for her bravery and service to the country.

Pride

Primarily an internal feeling, though it can be expressed and recognized socially.
Her pride in her work motivated her to achieve even greater success.

Honor

Can be a source of pride when honor reflects personal virtues or achievements.
She took pride in her honor, seeing it as a reflection of her hard work and integrity.

Pride

Pride can stem from receiving honor, but it is rooted in personal sentiment.
The pride she felt from being honored was as much about her personal journey as the recognition itself.

Honor

High respect, as that shown for special merit; recognition or esteem
The honor shown to a Nobel laureate.
The place of honor at the table.

Pride

Pride is positive emotional response or attitude to something with an intimate connection to oneself, due to its perceived value. Oxford defines it amongst other things as "the quality of having an excessively high opinion of oneself or one's own importance" This may be related to one's own abilities or achievements, positive characteristics of friends or family, or one's country.

Honor

Great privilege
I have the honor of presenting the governor.

Pride

A sense of one's own proper dignity or value; self-respect.

Honor

Good name; reputation
I must defend my honor.

Pride

Pleasure or satisfaction taken in an achievement, possession, or association
Parental pride.

Honor

A source or cause of credit
Was an honor to the profession.

Pride

Arrogant or disdainful conduct or treatment; haughtiness.

Honor

A mark, token, or gesture of respect or distinction, such as a military decoration.

Pride

A cause or source of pleasure or satisfaction; the best of a group or class
These soldiers were their country's pride.

Honor

Public acts or ceremonies showing respect
Was buried with full honors.

Pride

The most successful or thriving condition; prime
The pride of youth.

Honor

Special recognition for unusual academic achievement
Graduated with honors.

Pride

An excessively high opinion of oneself; conceit.

Honor

A program of advanced study for exceptional students
Planned to take honors in history.

Pride

Mettle or spirit in horses.

Honor

Social courtesies offered to guests
Did the honors at tea.

Pride

A flamboyant or impressive group
A pride of acrobats.

Honor

High rank
Assumed the honor of kingship.

Pride

To indulge (oneself) in a feeling of pleasure or satisfaction
I pride myself on this beautiful garden.

Honor

Honor Used with His, Her, or Your as a title and form of address for certain officials, such as judges and the mayors of certain cities
Her Honor, Judge Jones.

Pride

The quality or state of being proud; an unreasonable overestimation of one's own superiority in terms of talents, looks, wealth, importance etc., which manifests itself in lofty airs, distance, reserve and often contempt of others.

Honor

A sense of principled uprightness of character; personal integrity
Conducted herself with honor.
Saw the challenge as a matter of honor.

Pride

A sense of one's own worth, and scorn for what is beneath or unworthy of oneself; lofty self-respect; noble self-esteem; elevation of character; dignified bearing; rejection of shame
He took pride in his work.
He had pride of ownership in his department.

Honor

A code of integrity, dignity, and pride, chiefly among men, that was maintained in some societies, as in feudal Europe, by force of arms.

Pride

Proud or disdainful behavior or treatment; insolence or arrogance of demeanor; haughty bearing and conduct; insolent exultation.

Honor

A woman's chastity or reputation for chastity.

Pride

That of which one is proud; that which excites boasting or self-congratulation; the occasion or ground of self-esteem, or of arrogant and presumptuous confidence, as beauty, ornament, noble character, children, etc.

Honor

(Sports) The right of being first at the tee in golf.

Pride

Show; ostentation; glory.

Honor

Any of the four or five highest cards, especially the ace, king, queen, jack, and ten of the trump suit, in card games such as bridge or whist.

Pride

Highest pitch; elevation reached; loftiness; prime; glory.

Honor

Often honors The points allotted to these cards.

Pride

Consciousness of power; fullness of animal spirits; mettle; wantonness.

Honor

To hold in respect; esteem
A researcher who is highly honored for her work.

Pride

(zoology) The small European lamprey species Petromyzon branchialis.

Honor

To show respect for
Honored the volunteers with a party.

Pride

(reflexive) To take or experience pride in something; to be proud of it.
I pride myself on being a good judge of character.

Honor

To confer distinction on
He has honored us with his presence.

Pride

A small European lamprey (Petromyzon branchialis); - called also prid, and sandpiper.

Honor

To bow to (another dancer) in square dancing
Honor your partner.

Pride

The quality or state of being proud; inordinate self-esteem; an unreasonable conceit of one's own superiority in talents, beauty, wealth, rank, etc., which manifests itself in lofty airs, distance, reserve, and often in contempt of others.
Those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
Pride that dines on vanity sups on contempt.

Honor

To accept or pay as valid
Honor a check.
A store that honors all credit cards.

Pride

A sense of one's own worth, and abhorrence of what is beneath or unworthy of one; lofty self-respect; noble self-esteem; elevation of character; dignified bearing; proud delight; - in a good sense.
Thus to relieve the wretched was his pride.
A people which takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants.

Honor

(uncountable) recognition of importance or value; respect; veneration of someone, usually for being morally upright or successful
The crowds gave the returning general much honor and praise.

Pride

Proud or disdainful behavior or treatment; insolence or arrogance of demeanor; haughty bearing and conduct; insolent exultation; disdain.
Let not the foot of pride come against me.
That hardly we escaped the pride of France.

Honor

(uncountable) the state of being morally upright, honest, noble, virtuous, and magnanimous; excellence of character; the perception of such a state; favourable reputation; dignity
He was a most perfect knight, for he had great honor and chivalry.
His honor was unstained.

Pride

That of which one is proud; that which excites boasting or self-gratulation; the occasion or ground of self-esteem, or of arrogant and presumptuous confidence, as beauty, ornament, noble character, children, etc.
Lofty trees yclad with summer's pride.
I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
A bold peasantry, their country's pride.

Honor

(countable) a token of praise or respect; something that represents praiseworthiness or respect, such as a prize or award given by the state to a citizen
Honors are normally awarded twice a year: on The Queen's Birthday in June and at the New Year.
He wore an honor on his breast.
Military honors; civil honors
Audie Murphy received many honors, such as the Distinguished Service Cross.

Pride

Show; ostentation; glory.
Pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war.

Honor

A privilege
I had the honour of dining with the ambassador.

Pride

Highest pitch; elevation reached; loftiness; prime; glory; as, to be in the pride of one's life.
A falcon, towering in her pride of place.

Honor

(in the plural) the privilege of going first
I'll let you have the honours, Bob—go ahead.

Pride

To indulge in pride, or self-esteem; to rate highly; to plume; - used reflexively.
Pluming and priding himself in all his services.

Honor

(golf) the right to play one's ball before one's opponent.

Pride

To be proud; to glory.

Honor

A cause of respect and fame; a glory; an excellency; an ornament.
He is an honour to his nation.

Pride

A feeling of self-respect and personal worth

Honor

(feudal law) a seigniory or lordship held of the king, on which other lordships and manors depended

Pride

Satisfaction with your (or another's) achievements;
He takes pride in his son's success

Honor

In bridge, an ace, king, queen, jack, or ten especially of the trump suit. In some other games, an ace, king, queen or jack.

Pride

The trait of being spurred on by a dislike of falling below your standards

Honor

(in the plural) (courses for) an honours degree: a university qualification of the highest rank
At university I took honours in modern history.

Pride

A group of lions

Honor

(transitive) to think of highly, to respect highly; to show respect for; to recognise the importance or spiritual value of
The freedom fighters will be forever remembered and honored by the people.

Pride

Unreasonable and inordinate self-esteem (personified as one of the deadly sins)

Honor

(transitive) to conform to, abide by, act in accordance with (an agreement, treaty, promise, request, or the like)
I trusted you, but you have not honored your promise.
Refuse to honor the test ban treaty

Pride

Be proud of;
He prides himself on making it into law school

Honor

(transitive) to confer (bestow) an honour or privilege upon (someone)
Ten members of the profession were honored at the ceremony.
The prince honored me with an invitation to his birthday banquet.

Honor

(transitive) to make payment in respect of (a cheque, banker's draft, etc.)
I'm sorry Sir, but the bank did not honour your cheque.

Honor

Esteem due or paid to worth; high estimation; respect; consideration; reverence; veneration; manifestation of respect or reverence.
A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country.

Honor

That which rightfully attracts esteem, respect, or consideration; self-respect; dignity; courage; fidelity; especially, excellence of character; high moral worth; virtue; nobleness.
Godlike erect, with native honor clad.

Honor

Purity; chastity; - a term applied mostly to women, but becoming uncommon in usage.
If she have forgotHonor and virtue.

Honor

A nice sense of what is right, just, and true, with course of life correspondent thereto; strict conformity to the duty imposed by conscience, position, or privilege; integrity; uprightness; trustworthness.
Say, what is honor? 'T is the finest senseOf justice which the human mind can frame,Intent each lurking frailty to disclaim,And guard the way of life from all offenseSuffered or done.
I could not love thee, dear, so much,Loved I not honor more.

Honor

That to which esteem or consideration is paid; distinguished position; high rank.
I have given thee . . . both riches, and honor.
Thou art clothed with honor and majesty.

Honor

Fame; reputation; credit.
Some in their actions do woo, and affect honor and reputation.
If my honor is meant anything distinct from conscience, 't is no more than a regard to the censure and esteem of the world.

Honor

A token of esteem paid to worth; a mark of respect; a ceremonial sign of consideration; as, he wore an honor on his breast; military honors; civil honors.

Honor

A cause of respect and fame; a glory; an excellency; an ornament; as, he is an honor to his nation.

Honor

A title applied to the holders of certain honorable civil offices, or to persons of rank; as, His Honor the Mayor. See Note under Honorable.

Honor

A seigniory or lordship held of the king, on which other lordships and manors depended.

Honor

Academic or university prizes or distinctions; as, honors in classics.

Honor

The ace, king, queen, and jack of trumps. The ten and nine are sometimes called Dutch honors.

Honor

To regard or treat with honor, esteem, or respect; to revere; to treat with deference and submission; when used of the Supreme Being, to reverence; to adore; to worship.
Honor thy father and thy mother.
That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father.
It is a customMore honor'd in the breach than the observance.

Honor

To dignify; to raise to distinction or notice; to bestow honor upon; to elevate in rank or station; to ennoble; to exalt; to glorify; hence, to do something to honor; to treat in a complimentary manner or with civility.
Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighten to honor.
The name of Cassius honors this corruption.

Honor

To accept and pay when due; as, to honora bill of exchange.

Honor

A tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction;
An award for bravery

Honor

The state of being honored

Honor

The quality of being honorable and having a good name;
A man of honor

Honor

A woman's virtue or chastity

Honor

Bestow honor or rewards upon;
Today we honor our soldiers
The scout was rewarded for courageus action

Honor

Show respect towards;
Honor your parents!

Honor

Accept as pay;
We honor checks and drafts

Common Curiosities

How do honor and pride affect relationships?

Honor can enhance social bonds through respect, while pride can either strengthen self-confidence or strain relationships if it turns into arrogance.

Is it important to balance honor and pride?

Balancing honor and pride is crucial to maintain healthy self-esteem and respectful social interactions.

Is pride always positive?

No, pride can be both a positive sense of self-esteem or negative if it leads to arrogance.

Can pride in one's community or nation differ from personal pride?

Yes, communal or national pride focuses on collective achievements and identity, whereas personal pride centers on individual accomplishments.

What is the main difference between honor and pride?

Honor is about external respect and ethical behavior, while pride is an internal feeling of self-worth.

Can cultural norms influence one's sense of honor or pride?

Absolutely, cultural backgrounds significantly shape what individuals feel proud of and what is considered honorable.

Do honor and pride play roles in professional settings?

In professional contexts, honor can refer to recognition of one's ethics and achievements, while pride can motivate personal and collective success.

Can someone have honor without pride?

Yes, one can be honored without feeling pride, especially if they are humble or do not seek recognition.

What role does humility play in honor and pride?

Humility can temper pride and enhance the nobility of honor, fostering respect and admiration without arrogance.

How can one cultivate honor in life?

By adhering to ethical standards, showing respect to others, and contributing positively to society.

Can pride be a motivation for achievement?

Yes, pride can be a powerful motivator for individuals to achieve goals and strive for excellence.

How does society reward honor?

Societies often reward honor with titles, medals, public recognition, or social standing.

How do historical contexts influence the concepts of honor and pride?

Historical events and societal changes can redefine what is considered honorable and what individuals take pride in, reflecting evolving values and norms.

How can societies encourage a healthy sense of pride?

By valuing diverse achievements, promoting inclusivity, and recognizing efforts that contribute to the common good.

Why might excessive pride be considered a flaw?

Excessive pride can blind individuals to their limitations and lead to dismissive or disrespectful behavior towards others.

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Urooj Arif
Urooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat

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