“Proud as punch” is a phrase that refers to the titular character from “Punch and Judy” a 17th-century comedic puppet show. It means to be openly and proudly pleased with oneself or a particular outcome. “Pleased as punch” is a similar phrase that also means to be delighted or pleased.
This write-up is crafted to assist you in ending the vicious cycle of having to include the phrase in your dialogue or essay by opening you (readers) up to other ways that “proud as punch” can be articulated without using the same exact words.
Whether it’s in an oral or written conversation with your friends or colleagues at work, these 15 similar phrases will surely help you convey your thoughts of satisfaction, better perhaps in a formal or an informal setting.
Can the phrase “Proud as punch” be used in a professional setting?
“Proud as punch” is a phrase that is mostly used in an informal setting (a gathering with your close friends and associates), but it doesn’t mean that it can not be made use of in a professional setting.
Let’s say you’re commenting on a presentation or successful project at work, you can articulate the words and it wouldn’t be out of context.
What you have to be cautious of is your tone and your body language which can be misread to mean that you’re too casual and condescending towards your colleagues or superiors at work.
What to Say Instead of “Proud As Punch”
Here are similar phrases that equally translate that someone is very proud of a certain thing.
- Very proud.
- Impressed.
- In high spirits
- On top of the world.
- Gratified.
- Confidence
- Well pleased
- Walking on thin air
- Feel great.
- Grateful.
- Bumptious.
- Braggy.
- Proud as a peacock.
- Like a child with a new toy.
- Contented.
Very proud
Instead of saying that you’re “proud as punch,” an option is the phrase “very proud.” It places focus on the fact that a person is highly pleased with a certain situation in a way that seems boastful.
Perhaps you feel pretty confident about a project or a character development in your friend, you can add it into a verbal or written comment that asserts that you’re very pleased.
Usage Examples:
- I am very proud of how far you’ve come, you’re turning into an amazing person.
- The presentation was well delivered, which makes me very proud.
Impressed
“Impressed” is a word that is synonymous in meaning with the phrase “proud as punch.” It’s suitable for a formal and informal setting. It shows that a person is highly pleased with a work or a person’s effort.
Here are ways that you can include it in a sentence and a context that will be suitable regardless of the setting.
Usage Examples:
- Wow! I am impressed with your work, you’re a genius.
- Who wouldn’t be impressed with what you’ve been able to do within the space of two years.
In high spirits
“In high spirit” highlights the positive emotions that “proud as punch” elicits. It means that a person is delighted to have achieved such a great accomplishment and is willing to commend whoever is responsible.
What makes this phrase suitable more for an informal setting is that it speaks more about the feeling of satisfaction and happiness and may not sound appropriate in a conversation with people who have no cordial relationship.
These instances will show you how the alternative phrase “in high spirit” can be used in a sentence.
Usage Examples:
- This is a life’s work that has finally paid off, I am in high spirits.
- I’m in high spirits because of how well you do your job and come early to work every day. Don’t stop.
On top of the world
“On top of the world” expresses the message of a sense of pride and arrogance that the phrase “proud as punch” implies. When one sounds braggy or is bent on soaking in the glory, this phrase would best fit that context rather than sticking to the standard.
Whether it’s at the concluding part of a “thank you note,” or you’re bragging about a certain work you were able to do at work, this is the phrase that will help you boast more about one that has improved on.
Usage Examples:
- It’s such an amazing thing that you’ve done, I am on top of the world.
- It’s like you’re on top of the world because of how well yesterday’s meeting went with the investors.
Gratified
Another alternative for the phrase “proud as punch” is the word “gratified” which means that a person derives pleasure from a certain event or thing.
Even though it’s a past tense, which makes it a verb, it can perform the role of a noun in a sentence.
It explains the message that a certain person or thing has made you so proud that it becomes a source of joy and gratification. Let’s see how it is used through the illustration.
Usage Examples:
- I must say, she is gratified by the masterpiece. I don’t think anyone has ever seen anything like it.
- There are so many things in my life that make me gratified.
Confidence
When a person is “proud as punch” there’s an absolute chance that it also means that a person is confident and happy about themselves or what they’ve done.
“Confident” is a perfect alternative for the old phrase which can be used when speaking in a formal or an informal setting so that it won’t be considered out of context. Here are usage examples that help you know how to use it.
Usage Examples:
- I am quite confident about this assignment, I have proven myself as the best once again.
- I don’t mean to brag but I am one hundred percent confident about this gig going great.
Well pleased
Another phrase that can be used in place of “proud as punch” is “well pleased” which indicates that a person is completely satisfied and happy with the outcome of a situation.
While chatting with your friends online or physically or in a conversation with your colleagues at work, this phrase will definitely be a great substitute for the old standard one. The following examples will educate you on how to use it in a sentence.
Usage Examples:
- This is a job that I am well pleased with, I don’t have words to describe how happy this work makes me feel right now.
- I am well pleased with your love and respect for me and everyone around you, you’ve made me a proud parent, my dear.
Walking on thin air
“Walking on thin air” is an idiomatic expression that indicates that someone is prideful and highly content with the outcome of a task. It’s mostly used in an informal setting because of the light-hearted and playful tone around the message it indicates.
Most corporate settings wouldn’t give so much liberty to speak using casual phrases which makes this phrase unsuitable for a professional setting. The illustrations will give ideas on how to make use of it in a proper manner.
Usage Examples:
- It’s like I’m walking on thin air because of how well the production went yesterday, I loved every single part of it.
- I am walking on thin air after knowing that I single-handedly raised every single one of my family members to fame and success.
Feel great
“Feel great” is a phrase that is similar to the previous phrases and also indicates the feeling of excitement and delight from perhaps a person participating in a project that was successful or another positive situation.
This can be included in the wording of a text message to your friend or your close colleagues at work to let them know that you’re proud of the situation, or whatever the situation is. Feel free to check out how these examples help you put the phrase to good use.
Usage Examples:
- I won’t lie to you, I feel great about this board meeting coming up, it’s true that if you put your heart into something, it will grow.
- I feel great taking all the time to work on myself mentally, I deserve to take a breather and that’s exactly what I am going to do for the next week.
Grateful
“Grateful” is a word that can definitely stand in the gap for the phrase “proud as punch” since it highlights the feeling of appreciation and the acknowledgment that effort has been put into a successful work or relationship.
Whether the acknowledgment is for another person or the individual himself, the fact is that there is a feeling of gratification and gratitude.
When you’re in a meeting with your friends you can chip this phrase into a conversation that requires you to and see as your English vocabulary expands.
Usage Examples:
- Well, you can say that I am grateful to myself for putting in all the work required to get this job done. It took a whopping amount of time, but I still conquered it.
- She’s grateful because of the relationship that has finally paid off. She officially tied the knot with her high school sweetheart, Ben.
Bumptious
Also, “bumptious” is a phrase that can be used in place of the phrase “proud as punch.” It also means that a person is boastful and takes pride in their success or accomplishments.
Rather than sticking with the old standard, you can decide to say this phrase instead when talking to your friends or while at work, it does not matter the setting because it is usable for both. Here are instances that show that it is suitable for both settings (informal and formal).
Usage Examples:
- I am so bumptious you can say, moving to the next phase of the project, this has been my lifelong dream and it is finally coming to pass.
- The woman is bumptious because of her daughter’s level of smartness which made her come first place in the spelling bee.
Braggy
“Proud as a punch” is mostly translated as a phrase that indicates a high level of pride. And what people do when they get proud is that they brag which makes it a perfect alternative word to represent the phrase.
While giving a comment or gossiping about a person’s feelings and you want to add along the line that you can see how proud of themselves they are, you can add this phrase rather than saying that they are “proud as punch.” The illustrations below are just how to do that.
Usage Examples:
- The woman is so proud of her kid’s accomplishments that one could say that she’s braggy.
- The man is certainly braggy since the athlete he coaches won a gold medal in the Olympics.
Proud as a peacock
Since “proud as punch” is written in the form of a simile (comparing two similar things) it would be reasonable for another form of words (simile) to be a good alternative to use.
This phrase would be best in a conversation with your friends in an event or in a group chat that has your close friends in it. It is not advisable to use this in an informal setting as this would be considered inappropriate and out of context. Let’s see how it can be used in an informal setting in these examples.
Usage Examples:
- You must be proud as a peacock now that you’ve finally had all the wealth in the world.
- The lady is as proud as a peacock because she has a rich husband who spends lavishly on her.
Like a child with a new toy
Another simile that can be used to replace the phrase “proud as punch” in a conversation with your partner or friend is the phrase “like a child with a new toy.”
Just as a child would want to flaunt his or her new toy and is excited about it, the individual’s happiness would be off the roof because of achievements.
This would be good for a funny discussion or you want to tease a person’s excessive happiness about something. These examples put it into play.
Usage Examples:
- You’re so happy about the new deal, it’s like a child with a new toy.
- Like a child with a new toy, I could see the look of pride that the CEO had on his face when he was given the award.
Content
In addition, “content” is a substitute for “proud as punch” because of the fact that it means “to be satisfied.”
A dialogue with your friend or business partner can accommodate this phrase which makes it a good fit. You don’t have to stick to the status quo, you can break free by choosing to say this word instead.
Usage Examples:
- I am so content. Everything that has been going on with the company has been an absolute success.
- What can I say, the man is content. Who wouldn’t?
In Summary
It’s a normal human feeling to be proud of yourself or the things or people in your life and the phrase ‘proud as a punch’ helps express that. You also have to be cautious of not sounding too boastful as this could come off as obnoxious.
Since I took a step further by giving you various examples of how you could incorporate it into a sentence, it will serve as a guide to apply it to whatever context or event you find yourself in.
Do well to drop your feelings and thoughts about this article in the comment section below.
