Proud vs. Honoured — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 20, 2024
Feeling proud involves satisfaction or pleasure from one's own achievements, qualities, or possessions, or those of someone closely connected, while feeling honoured implies a sense of respect, privilege, or gratitude bestowed by recognition from others.
Difference Between Proud and Honoured
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Pride is an internal feeling that comes from one's own accomplishments or the accomplishments of someone with whom one closely identifies. Honour, on the other hand, is inherently linked to the acknowledgment and esteem received from others.
Pride can sometimes be perceived negatively when it crosses into arrogance or hubris, indicating an excessive or inflated sense of one's importance. However, in healthy doses, it is crucial for self-confidence and motivation. Honour, conversely, carries a more universally positive connotation, emphasizing dignity, respect, and esteem. It often involves a sense of duty and an awareness of one's role within a larger community or context.
The expression of these emotions also varies; pride is often shared openly through personal or group celebration, while honour might be expressed with gratitude and humility, acknowledging the role of others in one’s achievements. In summary, pride is more about internal fulfillment from personal achievements, while honour is about external recognition and the dignity that comes with it.
Comparison Chart
Source
Personal or close association's achievements
Recognition or respect from others
Emotion
Self-satisfaction, confidence
Gratitude, humility, respect
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Expression
Celebration, sharing achievements
Acknowledgment, dignity, accepting recognition
Implication
Can suggest self-esteem or arrogance
Suggests dignity, respect, responsibility
Context
Personal achievements, qualities, or possessions
Awards, honors, or recognition by others
Compare with Definitions
Proud
Can imply confidence in one’s abilities or qualities.
He is proud of his culinary skills.
Honoured
Feeling respected or privileged by external recognition.
She felt honoured to be chosen as the keynote speaker.
Proud
Associated with personal or group identity.
They are proud of their cultural heritage.
Honoured
Implies a sense of responsibility and humility.
He was honoured to serve on the board, recognizing the trust placed in him.
Proud
Expressed through celebration or sharing success.
The proud parents shared their child’s academic achievements with friends.
Honoured
Expressed with gratitude towards those who recognize one’s achievements.
She was honoured and thanked everyone for their support.
Proud
Feeling satisfaction from one's own achievements.
She felt proud after finishing the marathon.
Honoured
Often associated with awards or official recognition.
The scientist was honoured for her contributions to medicine.
Proud
Sometimes viewed negatively as arrogance.
His proud refusal to ask for help frustrated his team.
Honoured
Emphasizes dignity and respect from others.
They felt honoured by the community's overwhelming support.
Proud
Feeling deep pleasure or satisfaction as a result of one's own achievements, qualities, or possessions or those of someone with whom one is closely associated
A proud grandma of three boys
She got nine passes and he was so proud of her
Honoured
(British spelling) Respected, having received honour.
Proud
Having or showing a high or excessively high opinion of oneself or one's importance
He was a proud, arrogant man
Honoured
(British spelling) honour
Proud
Slightly projecting from a surface
Balls standing proud of the fabric
Proud
Feeling pleasurable satisfaction over an act, possession, quality, or relationship by which one measures one's stature or self-worth
Proud of one's child.
Proud to serve one's country.
Proud
Occasioning or being a reason for pride
A proud moment when she received her diploma.
Proud
Feeling or showing justifiable self-respect
Too proud to beg.
Proud
Filled with or showing excessive self-esteem
A proud and haughty aristocrat.
Proud
Of great dignity; honored
A proud name.
Proud
Majestic; magnificent
Proud alpine peaks.
Proud
Spirited. Used of an animal
Proud steeds.
Proud
Feeling honoured (by something); feeling happy or satisfied about an event or fact; gratified.
I am proud of Sivu’s schoolwork.
Proud
That makes one feel proud (of something one did)
That was not the proudest thing I did but I can’t deny it.
Proud
Possessed of a due sense of what one deserves or is worth.
I was too proud to apologise.
Proud
Having too high an opinion of oneself; arrogant, supercilious.
Proud
Generating a sense of pride; being a cause for pride.
It was a proud day when we finally won the championship.
Proud
(Of things) standing upwards as in the manner of a proud person; stately or majestic.
Proud
Standing out or raised; swollen.
After it had healed, the scar tissue stood proud of his flesh.
The weld was still a bit proud of the panel, so she ground it down flush.
Proud
(obsolete) Brave, valiant; gallant.
Proud
Feeling or manifesting pride, in a good or bad sense
Nor much expectA foe so proud will first the weaker seek.
O death, made proud with pure and princely beauty !
And shades impervious to the proud world's glare.
Proud
Having a feeling of high self-respect or self-esteem; exulting (in); elated; - often with of; as, proud of one's country.
Are we proud men proud of being proud ?
Proud
Giving reason or occasion for pride or self-gratulation; worthy of admiration; grand; splendid; magnificent; admirable; ostentatious.
Till tower, and dome, and bridge-way proudAre mantled with a golden cloud.
Proud
Feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride;
Proud parents
Proud of his accomplishments
A proud moment
Proud to serve his country
A proud name
Proud princes
Proud
Having or displaying great dignity or nobility;
A gallant pageant
Lofty ships
Majestic cities
Proud alpine peaks
Common Curiosities
Is pride always a negative emotion?
No, pride can be positive and healthy when it reflects genuine self-esteem and accomplishment, rather than arrogance.
Can honour come without achievement?
Honour can be based on character, ethical conduct, or service, not just tangible achievements.
Can someone feel proud and honoured at the same time?
Yes, it’s common to feel both emotions simultaneously, especially in situations where personal achievements are recognized by others.
What role does culture play in these emotions?
Cultural values significantly influence the perception and expression of pride and honour, with some cultures placing more emphasis on one over the other.
What is the social function of honour?
Honour serves to reinforce societal or community values by recognizing and rewarding behavior that aligns with those values.
How does one typically respond to feeling honoured?
Responses to feeling honoured usually include expressions of gratitude, humility, and a sense of duty or responsibility.
How do public recognitions or awards contribute to these feelings?
Public recognitions and awards can validate personal effort (pride) and underscore respect from others (honour), enhancing both emotions.
Can feeling too proud be harmful?
Excessive pride, or hubris, can lead to isolation, conflict with others, and an inability to recognize or learn from mistakes.
How do these emotions affect motivation?
Both pride and honour can motivate individuals to maintain high standards, achieve goals, and fulfill responsibilities.
Is it important to acknowledge feeling proud or honoured?
Acknowledging these feelings can be important for personal growth, as it helps individuals recognize their achievements and the value others see in them.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
