humble 1 of 2

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
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

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
The $4 trillion Nvidia has a humble origin story, tracing back to a 1993 meeting at a booth of a Denny’s diner between cofounders Jensen Huang, Chris Malachowsky, and Curtis Priem. Derek Saul, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025 The Slurpee found its humble origins in the late 1950s when Dairy Queen owner Omar Knedlik of Kansas City started putting bottles of soda in the freezer to quickly chill them. Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 July 2025
Verb
But while the Red Sox ultimately got the last laugh, Judge offered yet another reminder of his greatness Friday, getting off the mat after three humbling at bats and leveling Crochet with a breathtaking knockout blow. Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 14 June 2025 The strength of the Haitian people is humbling, but resilience cannot be their only refuge. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for humble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for humble
Adjective
  • Raj’s meek voice could faintly be heard against the jarring cacophony of honking horns, street performers, and the chatter of street vendors and passersby.
    Footwear News, Footwear News, 24 June 2025
  • From small and relatively meek beginnings, proboscideans eventually evolved into herbivorous, elephantine giants with a broad array of different tusk arrangements and shapes.
    Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Because of its moisture needs, it is best planted near a body of water, such as a pond or streambed, or in low, damp spots.
    Lauren David, Southern Living, 6 July 2025
  • Trim the lower branches of your hydrangea to allow air to circulate at ground level.
    Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 July 2025
Adjective
  • Bahrain is ruled by Sunnis and has a mostly Shiite population permanently restless over its servile condition.
    Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 13 June 2025
  • His servile defense secretary has threatened to deploy the military in other cities.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 13 June 2025
Verb
  • Then two of his classmates did something magical. 'And I was humiliated again' The story Griffin started to tell began in first grade just after his family moved from one part of his suburban New York town to another, and Griffin was the new kid in school.
    Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
  • Why risk thousands of dollars to be humiliated and possibly denied entry?
    MSNBC Newsweek, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
Adjective
  • Carter, 23 put up modest numbers in limited playing time, averaging 3.8 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.6 steals in 11.0 minutes per game.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2025
  • Stocks continued their downward dip from Monday, with the S&P 500 falling 0.07%, driven by modest drops in blue-chip companies like Amazon and Microsoft.
    Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 8 July 2025
Adjective
  • 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
  • Since arriving in Houston, Udoka has rapidly reshaped the Rockets’ culture and internal expectations, transforming them from a lowly franchise that had won just 22 games to a team with consecutive winning seasons.
    Kelly Iko, New York Times, 19 June 2025
Adjective
  • The key moment in PSG’s journey to becoming European champions came immediately after the abject 3-1 defeat to Lorient and had Messi at its centre.
    Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 28 June 2025
  • These complaints, however, are one in the same: a kind of abject judgment on what audiences deem as acceptable for a public figure.
    Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 12 June 2025
Verb
  • That terrifying consequence alone is sufficient to discredit the executive order.
    Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 30 June 2025
  • And for that, I was met with silence, deflection, and efforts to discredit me.
    Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 25 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Humble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humble. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.

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