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
There are several different subtypes of New York City Restaurant, from the humble old-timers (Katz’s, Nom Wah) to the temples of filthy lucre (Bemelmans, Rao’s). — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026 This simple recipe relies on a hot oven and a rimmed baking sheet to turn the humble vegetable into a side dish worthy of both weeknight dinners and the Thanksgiving table. — Rick Martinez, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
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 But the research on what actually happens during those two minutes is humbling. — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 7 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
  • 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
  • The visitors were meek and the poorest performers of the four opponents, but how much of that is down to the way Leeds played?
    — Beren Cross, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of meek
Adjective
  • The wide availability of low-cost, powerful open models is one reason Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has warned that open models in particular pose a risk of widespread and potentially devastating cyber attacks.
    — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • America's ability to compete internationally, which has become a central argument for expanding AI infrastructure, ranks much lower.
    — Will Johnson, Time, 21 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
  • However, Rob Shuter is reporting that Meghan believes Kate purposefully humiliated her by recently taking Princess Charlotte on the London Underground.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 15 Oct. 2026
  • His daughter is humiliated, and the message could not be clearer.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of humiliate
Adjective
  • Scheibenbogen reports that the kids who cut out social media entirely showed modest increases in mental well-being that started wearing off five weeks later.
    — Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The Net Book Agreement allowed discounts only for schoolbooks and a modest consideration for public libraries (5 percent).
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of modest
Adjective
  • 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
  • In a battle of 0-4 AFC South teams, Houston coasted to a win over the lowly Titans.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of lowly
Adjective
  • Choosing the most abject—or unfortunate—car names will never not be funny.
    — Jason Barlow, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2026
  • This was in response to the Heat letting loose with a whole lot of abject silliness during Tuesday’s intrasquad scrimmage, which actually is the perfect time for such antics.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of abject
Verb
  • Baker periodically deployed Darman to discredit and even destroy Baker’s rivals for Presidential attention in the Administration.
    — Bob Woodward, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Gates says Washburn’s petition is a first volley in an attempt to discredit and then defund the Wildlife Council.
    — Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 15 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 21 Oct. 2026.

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