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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in low
belonging to the class of people of low social or economic rank
a humble peasant girl who claimed she was chosen by God to restore the French king to his throne
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to humiliate
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes
Philip was utterly humbled by a crushing defeat in the first round of the state chess tournament
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of humble
Jessica Riley, CBS News, 22 Feb. 2026
Humidity Domes with Tupperware Another kitchen item that our experts like to get creative with when propagating tropical houseplants—like monstera varieties and prayer plants—is the humble Tupperware container.
—Nishaa Sharma, The Spruce, 21 Feb. 2026
ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026
The theatrical experience has always held a unique place in our culture and I am truly humbled to be recognized with this award.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for humble
Adjective
Fans are not just remembering this historic home run, but rather a humble pirate who spent his entire career here in Pittsburgh.
—Jessica Riley, CBS News, 22 Feb. 2026
Humidity Domes with Tupperware Another kitchen item that our experts like to get creative with when propagating tropical houseplants—like monstera varieties and prayer plants—is the humble Tupperware container.
—Nishaa Sharma, The Spruce, 21 Feb. 2026
Verb
The desert terrain is vast; the surrounding mountains ominous and humbling.
—ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026
The theatrical experience has always held a unique place in our culture and I am truly humbled to be recognized with this award.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for humble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for humble
Adjective
-
At the film’s center is Seyo Kim (Chen Emilie Yan), a meek state lawyer looking to make a difference, but who accepts, with begrudging sighs, her department’s 80% rate of dropping hate crime prosecutions as just another part of the job.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Tushtu, the meekest, frailest of the chanters, trailing at the back, stopped to turn towards Charu with a sly grin.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The day Shah Alam was dropped off at the coffee shop, the area saw light freezing rain with temperatures in the low 30s.—
Alisha Ebrahimji,
CNN Money,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Their low-profile design pairs effortlessly with any kind of pants, while the light pink leather accents add a subtle pop of color to the classic white exterior.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
After all, the deal — for a long-forsaken project, an action-comedy franchise starring two aging stars — underscores the servile fealty of new Paramount owners Larry and David Ellison amid their recent maneuvering to take control of TikTok and Warner Bros. Discovery (the latter seemingly futile).—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Dec. 2025
-
Earlier this year, my colleague and bud Kelefa Sanneh suggested that music critics, as a lot, have gone soft—becoming submissive, overly agreeable, and, in some cases, nearly servile.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
1 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
In the dormitory, the classroom, and on the football team, where Negroes were allowed only to be linebackers, he was humiliated.—
Gail Sheehy,
Vanity Fair,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The gesture provoked a seismic reaction internationally while infuriating Olympic officials who claimed Smith and Carlos used the world stage to humiliate their home country.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Ziebel, like 1,300 other owners of modest condominiums, cannot sell.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
-
That’s a modest footprint for what turned out to be a staggering haul.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Both groups were accused of eating hedgehogs, Mieke Roscher, a historian of human-animal relations at the University of Kassel, told me, as the lowly hedgehogs were in turn upheld as a symbol of the German people.—
Daniel Engber,
The Atlantic,
22 Feb. 2026
-
But a defeat at home to the lowly Eagles (9-18, 2-12) would have canceled out much of Tuesday’s gain in status.—
Randy Jennings,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
If nothing else, How to Make a Killing is an abject lesson in how to hire the right person to salvage your movie.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
19 Feb. 2026
-
After Malinin botched his final free in the singles competition, Cowan kept his distance as the skater crumbled into a grimace of abject disappointment.—
Colleen Barry,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
All four men were subjected to police interrogation techniques that are now widely discredited for leading to false confessions.—
Austin Sanders,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Meta’s lawyers have so far sought to discredit the idea of social media addiction, while simultaneously casting doubt on whether Kaley actually has it.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Humble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humble. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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