humble 1 of 2

adjective

ˈhəm-bəl How to pronounce humble (audio)
Definition of humblenext
1
as in meek
not having or showing any feelings of superiority, self-assertiveness, or showiness a medical scientist who remained remarkably humble even after winning the Nobel Prize even though she'd been proven wrong, her attitude was still far from humble

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2
as in low
belonging to the class of people of low social or economic rank a humble peasant girl who claimed she was chosen by God to restore the French king to his throne

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3
as in servile
showing, expressing, or offered in a spirit of humility or unseemly submissiveness please accept my humble thanks for this unexpected favor

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humble

2 of 2

verb

ˈhəm-bəl How to pronounce humble (audio)
as in to humiliate
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes Philip was utterly humbled by a crushing defeat in the first round of the state chess tournament

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of humble
Adjective
The fall 2026 collections put personal style front and center, with many of the most interesting looks pieced together around the humble sweater. — Minty Mellon, Vogue, 22 Oct. 2026 Perhaps that's better than stretching out overnight on Fifth Avenue, but that's just one guy's humble opinion. — Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
Verb
To the show’s credit, this Ultron is a highly entertaining creation, allowing Spader to layer some of his signature sardonic air to a character who’s still cynical, but much humbled from his supervillain days. — Alison Herman, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026 Resident Carolyn Cronin admitted she was humbled to learn that the four saplings growing in a row along the wrought-iron fence outside were lindens. — Kendra Nordin Beato, Christian Science Monitor, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for humble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for humble
  1. meek
  2. low
  3. servile
  4. humiliate
  5. modest
  6. lowly
  7. abject
  8. discredit
Adjective
  • Others seemed meek, with downcast eyes that refused to meet the camera.
    — Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Moore plays Mona, a meek, thoroughly unseen wife and mother who impulsively decides to audition for a community theater musical despite having no experience.
    — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of meek
Adjective
  • Landrew came off the bench for the first time this preseason and used his physicality to get to the basket for a pair of layups in the first half while Oskar Giltay battled with 7-foot-4 Daniel Jacobsen down low.
    — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The distance is worth it for travelers who want a budget-friendly hotel that still has loads of style, as prices tend to be significantly lower than downtown hotels.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of low
Adjective
  • Both appeared on stage in character as VP Selina Meyer and her servile assistant, Gary Walsh.
    — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Unfortunately, Trump takes servile flattery as his due.
    — Robert Kagan, The Atlantic, 19 June 2026
Definition of servile
Verb
  • Doing it this way doesn’t diminish or judge or humiliate her lived experience.
    — Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Smallwood attacks Nick’s virility, saying he’ll be publicly humiliated when his wife has to bail him out again in court.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of humiliate
Adjective
  • The Coopop Bobber is exactly that – an electric two-wheeler that borrows the visual swagger of a custom bobber and pairs it with the decidedly more modest performance of a European electric moped.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Even a modest slice of commerce flowing through AI agents would reshape how consumers shop, and travel is where that shift is already visible.
    — Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of modest
Adjective
  • Food & Wine praised the method, specifically singling out the restaurant’s Le 7 Consistenze della Cipolla pizza, which will inspire you to think about the lowly onion in all new ways.
    — Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Houston managed to keep its season alive last week with a victory over the lowly Tennessee Titans, but there’s still almost no margin for error if a postseason berth is on the cards.
    — Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of lowly
Adjective
  • The real world is an oppressive patriarchy, while the Kens taking over in the Barbie world is an abject disaster that must be fixed by the Barbies returning to rule their fictional world.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Choosing the most abject—or unfortunate—car names will never not be funny.
    — Jason Barlow, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of abject
Verb
  • There are growing concerns from Congress and observers that the election will take place in a hostile environment and efforts to discredit and undermine the election are already underway.
    — Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The few instances of panic were magnified by newspapers eager to discredit the new medium of radio.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of discredit

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Cite this Entry

“Humble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humble. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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