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 HawthorneExamples 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 Web
Joey Copponi, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
His rookie year ended with a rather disappointing negative-yardage effort in a lost to the lowly New York Jets.
—C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 22 June 2025
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
Last year, 12 of the top 20 ERA leaders were lowly regarded in draft season (meaning after pick 60 but often way down the ADP list or not even drafted at all).
—Michael Salfino, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lowly
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Adjective
The Red Sox currently lead MLB in errors with 69, narrowly overtaking the lowly Colorado Rockies this week.
—Joey Copponi, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
His rookie year ended with a rather disappointing negative-yardage effort in a lost to the lowly New York Jets.
—C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 22 June 2025
Adverb
The sense of nothing going to waste—of experiences, lowly or intense, being stashed away for creative recycling—resounds through Kushins’s biography.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
Last year, 12 of the top 20 ERA leaders were lowly regarded in draft season (meaning after pick 60 but often way down the ADP list or not even drafted at all).
—Michael Salfino, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lowly
Cite this Entry
“Lowly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lowly. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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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