Kvell
v.joyful, hopefulwarm
What it means
To feel or express exuberant pride and delight, especially in someone else's achievement.
Reach for it when using a Yiddish-derived verb for warm, openly voiced pride
Parents will kvell when the young orchestra takes its first bow.
Choose between these
6- playful
enthusiastic praise pours out freely
not when Gush can dismiss sincere feeling as excessive or undiscriminating.
- everyday
brag
someone repeatedly tells others about an achievement
not when Brag is usually critical and centers self-display rather than affectionate pride.
- warm
pride or delight is visible in someone's expression
not when Beam describes appearance and may occur without speaking.
- professional
take pride
measured satisfaction in an achievement is appropriate
not when Take pride is restrained and lacks kvell's overflowing warmth.
- formal
deep joy at the event is central
not when Rejoice does not specifically involve pride in another person.
- literary
glow with pride
quiet visible pride is the intended image
not when Glow with pride is gentler and less exuberantly verbal.
Said against
3- belittle
- lament
- feel ashamed
It naturally appears in
3- kvell with pride
The mentors kvelled with pride at the apprentices' first exhibition.
- parents kvell
Parents kvell when the shy singer finds her full voice.
- reason to kvell
The community had reason to kvell over its young volunteers.
Where this comes from
Kvell is a Yiddish-derived word with strong cultural flavor. Context should make its warm pride clear without treating it as novelty.
- Wiktionary, English verb from Yiddish: to be extraordinarily proud or delighted opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.