How to pronounce proud
Say it like PROWD. Proud is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce proud. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PROWD
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Proud pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PROWDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
American vs British pronunciation of proud
American and British speakers say proud in essentially the same way: /praʊd/ in the US and /praʊd/ in the UK.
British respelling: PROWD.
What does proud mean?
- feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride“proud parents”“a proud moment”
- having or displaying great dignity or nobility“a gallant pageant”“lofty ships”
Where does proud come from?
Cognate with German Low German praud, Old Norse prúðr (“gallant, brave, magnificent, stately, handsome, fine”) (Icelandic prúður, Middle Swedish prudh, Danish prud).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with proud
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of proud.
Questions about saying proud
How do you pronounce proud?
Say PROWD. The American pronunciation is /praʊd/. In British English it is /praʊd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in proud?
Proud is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: PROWD.
Do Americans and Brits say proud the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /praʊd/ and the British form is /praʊd/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.