lowlier; lowliest
1
: not lofty or grand : commonplace, ordinary
Paella, once the lowly meal of farmers … has indeed evolved into a very sumptuous one-dish meal …—
Georgina R. Encanto
Georgina R. EncantoIt's easy to overlook the lowly alphabet book.—Ivan Kreilkamp
Ivan Kreilkamp2
: low in order of importance, value, or esteem
a lowly task
… the game didn't match even the lowly expectations placed on it.—Matthew DeFranks
Matthew DeFranksI'm not talking about the mouthwatering and universally appreciated king or Spanish mackerel but their lowly cousin, the commonly derided Atlantic mackerel …—W. Hodding Carter
W. Hodding Carter3
: having or being a low rank in some hierarchy
a lowly private in the army
their lowly ranking in the tournament
often, specifically
: of or relating to a low social or economic rank
lowly peasants
"Now there's a highborn name for a lowly lad," the woman said. —Avi
Avi 4
: low in a scale of evolution or development
Consider the lowly roundworm. By manipulating the genes of a species of nematode, Thomas Johnson of the University of Colorado has already doubled its puny 30-day life span.—Richard I. Kirkland Jr.
Richard I. Kirkland Jr.5
: humble in manner or spirit : free from self-assertive pride
Is it compatible with a self-denying, meek, and lowly heart?—The New Englander (New Haven, Connecticut)
The New Englander (New Haven, Connecticut)
lowliness
noun
Although the institution had many notable patrons such as Dickens the foundlings were constantly reminded of their lowliness.
—Ciara Dossett
Ciara Dossett
1
: not loudly
Dr. Park began to speak lowly, and in Korean, at Sally and Eunice.—Gary Shteyngart
Gary Shteyngart2
: in a humble or meek manner
bowed lowly
3
: in a low position, manner, or degree
lowly rated products
… the great elephant makes us a bow in the best style of elephantine courtesy, bending lowly down his mountain bulk …—Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Synonyms
Examples of lowly in a Sentence
Adjective
He was working as a lowly clerk.
He resented his lowly status.
Adverb
lowly bowing before his king, he accepted his knighthood
Recent Examples on the WebPatt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 23 Nov. 2023
This investment offered her century-old carmaker the chance to finally be viewed as a disruptive tech company with valuation multiples more akin to buzzy software companies than those of a lowly metal-bender beset by a meddlesome unionized workforce.
—Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 20 Nov. 2023
Toe to toe, on land, the hippo towers over its lowly opponent.
—Paul Richards, Field & Stream, 15 Nov. 2023
Ramey quickly refuted the reports of unidentified material, claiming that his base experts had examined the debris sent from Roswell and easily identified it as belonging not to any foreign or unknown craft, but to a lowly weather balloon instead.
—WIRED, 14 Nov. 2023
In fact, its lowly standing sits in stark contrast with its role as a centerpiece of global air travel—and even its current financial performance.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2023
Deeming it a religious conspiracy, the Senate issued a formal decree prohibiting the Bacchanalia throughout Italy—all because a lowly freedwoman wanted to protect her lover.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 8 Nov. 2023
Apple iMessage users communicate with feature-rich blue bubbles, while everyone else is relegated to a lowly green.
—Jon Porter, The Verge, 8 Nov. 2023
Nella’s got both the talent and the drive to be successful at Wagner Books, but life (read: casual workplace aggressions and red tape) has been getting in the way, keeping her stuck in her lowly assistant position.
—Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, 29 Sep. 2023
Rachel Silva, ELLE Decor, 21 July 2023
The Giants offense has been pretty lowly lately, but that hasn't stopped San Francisco from rattling off a bunch of wins to remain afloat in the playoff race.
—Jr Radcliffe, Journal Sentinel, 17 July 2023
In Bihar, that means a government job, no matter how lowly.
—Hari Kumar Atul Loke, New York Times, 28 June 2023
That being said, there have been a few undrafted -- or lowly drafted -- players who have made an impact in Indy.
—Dustin Dopirak, The Indianapolis Star, 29 May 2023
Nothing embraces those dramatic changes like the butterfly, shifting from a lowly crawling caterpillar to the colorful winged pollinator that brings beauty and whimsy to the outdoors.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 15 May 2023
Even lowly Colorado attracted 47,277 fans eager to check out Deion Sanders and his new-look Buffs.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2023
The Kenyan shilling has for the longest time been measuring lowly against the US dollar.
—Faustine Ngila, Quartz, 27 Apr. 2023
The two teams meet at St. James' Park this month, too. SLICK ARSENAL Three goals in a 26-minute burst in the first half saw Arsenal overwhelm Fulham, a week after the leaders needed a dramatic strike in the seventh minute of stoppage time to beat lowly Bournemouth at home.
—Steve Douglas, ajc, 12 Mar. 2023
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Adjective
Sweet potatoes, fruit Jello, and roast pork — not turkey — would be served to all the inmates, from the lowliest cutpurse to what amounted to the celebrity wing, and its residents:
Alexander Pantages, the millionaire theater magnate convicted of raping a 17-year-old dancer.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 23 Nov. 2023
This investment offered her century-old carmaker the chance to finally be viewed as a disruptive tech company with valuation multiples more akin to buzzy software companies than those of a lowly metal-bender beset by a meddlesome unionized workforce.
—Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 20 Nov. 2023
Toe to toe, on land, the hippo towers over its lowly opponent.
—Paul Richards, Field & Stream, 15 Nov. 2023
Ramey quickly refuted the reports of unidentified material, claiming that his base experts had examined the debris sent from Roswell and easily identified it as belonging not to any foreign or unknown craft, but to a lowly weather balloon instead.
—WIRED, 14 Nov. 2023
In fact, its lowly standing sits in stark contrast with its role as a centerpiece of global air travel—and even its current financial performance.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2023
Deeming it a religious conspiracy, the Senate issued a formal decree prohibiting the Bacchanalia throughout Italy—all because a lowly freedwoman wanted to protect her lover.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 8 Nov. 2023
Apple iMessage users communicate with feature-rich blue bubbles, while everyone else is relegated to a lowly green.
—Jon Porter, The Verge, 8 Nov. 2023
Nella’s got both the talent and the drive to be successful at Wagner Books, but life (read: casual workplace aggressions and red tape) has been getting in the way, keeping her stuck in her lowly assistant position.
—Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, 29 Sep. 2023
Adverb
Swap out your regular light bulbs for a lower wattage, install a dimmer or a wall sconce that is intentionally lowly lit.
—Rachel Silva, ELLE Decor, 21 July 2023
The Giants offense has been pretty lowly lately, but that hasn't stopped San Francisco from rattling off a bunch of wins to remain afloat in the playoff race.
—Jr Radcliffe, Journal Sentinel, 17 July 2023
In Bihar, that means a government job, no matter how lowly.
—Hari Kumar Atul Loke, New York Times, 28 June 2023
That being said, there have been a few undrafted -- or lowly drafted -- players who have made an impact in Indy.
—Dustin Dopirak, The Indianapolis Star, 29 May 2023
Nothing embraces those dramatic changes like the butterfly, shifting from a lowly crawling caterpillar to the colorful winged pollinator that brings beauty and whimsy to the outdoors.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 15 May 2023
Even lowly Colorado attracted 47,277 fans eager to check out Deion Sanders and his new-look Buffs.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2023
The Kenyan shilling has for the longest time been measuring lowly against the US dollar.
—Faustine Ngila, Quartz, 27 Apr. 2023
The two teams meet at St. James' Park this month, too. SLICK ARSENAL Three goals in a 26-minute burst in the first half saw Arsenal overwhelm Fulham, a week after the leaders needed a dramatic strike in the seventh minute of stoppage time to beat lowly Bournemouth at home.
—Steve Douglas, ajc, 12 Mar. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lowly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near lowly
Cite this Entry
“Lowly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lowly. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
lowly
1 of 2 adverb
low·ly
ˈlō-lē 
1
: in a humble or meek manner
2
: in a low position, manner, or degree
3
: not loudly
lowly
2 of 2 adjective
lowlier; lowliest
2
: of low rank or position
lowliness
noun
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