swallow one's pride

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'swallow one's pride' is grammatically correct and commonly used in written English
It means to suppress one's feelings of pride and admit to being wrong or accepting an unpleasant situation. Example: After realizing his mistake, Tom had to swallow his pride and apologize to his boss for his rude behavior.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

He keeps writing for the Evening Standard despite his wages being cut "because one has to swallow one's pride".

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

"I said, 'I'll swallow my pride–I'll wait tables, I'll tend bar again.

Forbes

The pride subscale is divided into pride in oneself (Alpha Pride) and pride in one's behavior (Beta Pride).

BMC Psychiatry

I didn't just swallow my pride; I basically swallowed an anaconda.

The New York Times

"I'm sure I could swallow my pride and do something else".

BBC

I swallowed my pride.

The New York Times

"I swallowed my pride for the team," Milledge said.

The New York Times

I swallowed my pride and bought a fanny pack.

The New York Times

It was daunting, but I swallowed my pride and started asking questions, lots of them.

Science Magazine

So I swallowed my pride and prepared to grovel.

Huffington Post

"So I swallowed my pride and went to my local food pantry".

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure the possessive pronoun (one's) matches the subject of the sentence, such as "he swallowed his pride" or "they swallowed their pride".

Common error

Avoid the error of saying "swallow one's proud". While "proud" is the adjective, the idiom strictly requires the noun form "pride" to function correctly.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "swallow one's pride" functions as an idiomatic verb phrase that acts as the predicate in a sentence. According to Ludwig AI, it is used to describe the act of suppressing self-importance. It typically requires a subject and an object that refers back to the subject's own feelings.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Formal & Business

15%

General Literature

10%

Less common in

Science

3%

Wiki

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "swallow one's pride" is a robust and essential English idiom used to describe the difficult but necessary act of setting aside arrogance to resolve a situation. Data from Ludwig shows it is exceptionally common in top-tier publications like The New York Times and The Guardian, where it illustrates personal or institutional resilience. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and broad applicability. When writing, remember that it carries a nuanced emotional weight—it is not just about apologizing, but about the specific internal struggle of overcoming one's own ego for the sake of a better outcome. It remains a staple of sophisticated English prose.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

eat humble pie

Adds a stronger connotation of public humiliation or being forced to apologize

humble oneself

More formal and emphasizes the internal shift in attitude

eat crow

A more informal American idiom specifically about admitting you were wrong after being proven so

bite the bullet

Focuses on the endurance of an unpleasant situation rather than just the ego aspect

climb down

Implies retreating from a previous position or demand

admit defeat

More literal and describes the outcome of an unsuccessful effort

back down

Focuses on the action of withdrawing a claim or opinion during an argument

yield the point

Used in intellectual or formal debates to acknowledge another side is correct

give in

General term for surrendering to pressure or persuasion

acknowledge an error

Neutral and literal description of the action without the idiomatic weight

FAQs

How do I use "swallow one's pride" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a difficult admission of mistake, for example: "He had to "swallow his pride" and ask for help when the project stalled."

What is a more formal way to say "swallow one's pride"?

In formal or academic contexts, you might choose to use "humble oneself" or "concede a mistake".

Is it "swallow your pride" or "swallow your ego"?

While both are understood, "swallow your pride" is the traditional idiomatic form found in most literature and news sources like The New York Times.

What does the idiom "eat humble pie" mean compared to "swallow one's pride"?

While similar, "eat humble pie" often implies a more external, social humiliation, whereas "swallow one's pride" focuses on the internal struggle of overcoming one's own stubbornness.