Pried and Pride

Pried Pride HeaderYes, these words sound alike; they’re homophones, after all! But they mean two different things, and since I recently saw one of them in a post when the other one was meant, I figured we might as well take a look at them.

Pried is the past tense of the verb “to pry,” which has several meanings:

  • To raise, move, or force with a pry (a lever of some sort)
  • To draw forth or obtain with difficulty
  • To look closely and inquisitively or inquire presumptuously; peer or snoop

Examples of correct usage:

  1. Anne pried open the box carefully.
  2. John pried the door open with a lot of force!
  3. Our local “busybody” pried into the newcomers’ lives endlessly!

 

Pride, on the other hand, as a noun can mean:

  • A sense of one’s own proper dignity or value; self-respect
  • Pleasure or satisfaction taken in an achievement, possession, or association
  • Arrogant or disdainful conduct or treatment; haughtiness
  • A group of lions

As a verb, it means to indulge in feelings of self satisfaction.
Some examples of correct usage:

  • The Smiths’ parental pride was clearly showing at the school play.
  • The returning soldiers are their town’s pride.
  • Pride goeth before a fall.
  • We saw a pride of lions during our safari in Kenya.
  • Frank prides himself on his social media skills.

So although you may not use these words often, it helps to use them correctly when you do.

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