modesty

noun

mod·​es·​ty ˈmä-də-stē 

1

: the quality of not being too proud or confident about yourself or your abilities

She accepted the award with modesty.

2

: propriety in dress, speech, or conduct

The young man was known for his modesty.

Synonyms of modesty

• meekness
• humility
• humbleness
• demureness

Examples of modesty in a Sentence

She accepted the award with modesty.

He is known for his modesty, an uncommon characteristic for a politician.

There was no false modesty in her victory speech.

the modesty of her clothing

Recent Examples on the Web

Much of what makes his essay convincing is its intellectual modesty, its readiness to say that trying to derive confident predictions of the future from the chaos of what is happening on the streets and in government offices is folly. —David Remnick, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026

The secret to Buford’s longevity Buford expressed modesty about his service in World War II. —Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 25 Dec. 2025

Putting modesty aside for a moment, what were your proudest achievements of year 2025? —Miles Socha, Footwear News, 15 Dec. 2025

Like Howard Hawks, John Ford, and other masters of the classical studio era, his style was often invisible, but his modesty cloaked the intense engagement of a true artist. —Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 15 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1531, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

modesty

noun

mod·​es·​ty ˈmäd-ə-stē 

: the quality of being modest