head held high
Unbowed, chin up
Head held high describes maintaining dignity and confidence, especially after difficulty or potential embarrassment.
The posture—chin up rather than bowed in shame—becomes a metaphor for self-respect: She walked out of that courtroom with her head held high.
Often appears after setbacks where someone might feel defeated but refuses to show it: We lost, but we can leave with our heads held high.
- proudSatisfied by accomplishment
- confidentSure of oneself
- dignifiedComposed and respectable
- chin upEncouragement to stay positive
- postureBody position, alignment
upright · chin · shoulders back · tall · stand tall · defiant · unbowed · stiff upper lip · shoulders · poise · stride · walk · walk tall · victory · triumphant · resilient · grace under pressure · unbroken
- confident walksstrut, swagger, power walk, chest out
- confidenceself-assurance, self-belief, assuredness, sureness, certainty
- Confidentlyboldly, firmly, surely, certainly, decisively
- posture expressionsslouch, slump, hunch, stoop, stand tall
- swaggerswagger, strut, strutting, peacocking, cockiness
head held highhead bowed
Face angled downward
head down · slumped shoulders · bowed head · hunched over · slouching
head held highashamed
Feeling guilt and disgrace
humiliated · disgraced · mortified · shamefaced · defeated
head held highdishonored
Brought shame upon
humbled · brought low · fallen from grace · chastened · discredited
head, held, high, heads, headed, heading, header, headless, headship