MODESTY Synonyms: 126 Similar and Opposite Words

modesty

noun

ˈmä-də-stē

as in meekness

the absence of any feelings of being better than others his natural modesty makes him reluctant to run for public office

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in purity

the quality or state of being morally pure in this day and age, that's very becoming modesty in a teenager

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 modesty Iran’s legal system is based on one interpretation of what Islam teaches about gender roles and modesty for women, and is used to control women, said Iqbal Akhtar, professor of politics and international relations and religious studies at Florida International University. —

Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2026 Mike Kelly, a former Vikings executive turned technology CEO who remains a season ticket holder, long felt this modesty was what separated Brzezinski from other front-office types. —

Alec Lewis, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026 Part of her appeal is that, even though her voice is commanding, there’s nothing particularly imperious about her personality, which borders on something like modesty. —

Chris Willman, Variety, 5 Mar. 2026 His quiet tone is not shyness or false modesty but circumspection and a sense of boundaries that imply respect and love for real communication. —

Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for modesty

Recent Examples of Synonyms for modesty

Noun

Such meekness is understandable from him.

— Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 26 Feb. 2026
Likewise, meekness once meant not becoming weak, but subjugating power to reason – not letting anger take control.

— Timothy J. Pawl, The Conversation, 23 Feb. 2026