humble 1 of 3

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

humble

2 of 3

verb

humbleness

3 of 3

noun

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
His direction of the actors is exemplary, even with characters seen only briefly, like Lionel’s parents or the humble backwoods folks who share their songs. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025 Year in and year out, he’s gotten a little bit better and played with a great, humble attitude. Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 20 May 2025
Verb
The world needs leaders who are bold enough to change and humble enough to listen. Glenn Llopis, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025 Hobbs thanked Schott for the endorsement in a Facebook post, saying he was humbled by the power of God. . Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for humble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for humble
Adjective
  • According to the latest report from L.A.’s film office, production days on location decreased more than 22 percent in the first quarter of 2025 compared with an already meek period in 2024.
    Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 2 May 2025
  • Democrats, unable either to diagnose or to admit to their own failings, measured their victories in the meekest of triumphs, and seemed to have lost all sense of purpose, direction, and proportion.
    Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • In fact, with one of the lowest average ages in the whole of the Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain this season has become a team known for its young, hardworking and likeable core group of players – Vitinha, Nuno Mendes, João Neves, Barcola and Doué have all garnered plaudits.
    Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 31 May 2025
  • Steer clear of puddles - Driving into puddles or low areas of rainwater can cause vehicles to hydroplane or skid out of control.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 31 May 2025
Adjective
  • So Alex dons a uniform, buses tables and engages in servile labor for the first time in her life.
    Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Trump’s servile devotion to Putin becomes the new norm overnight as Republicans cower in support of Trump’s new Putin policy.
    Bob Kustra, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Simone Inzaghi really needs the win here — his Italian side finished one point behind Serie A champ Napoli and was humiliated by rival AC Milan in the Coppa Italia semifinal.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 31 May 2025
  • And after Trump’s attempts to humiliate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office, the lure of the White House is waning.
    Stephen Collinson, CNN Money, 31 May 2025
Noun
  • Most Canadians want uncomplicated lives, a desire for calm that can be misinterpreted by louder people as meekness.
    Chris Jones, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Standing next to a record player in a sports jacket and turtleneck, Kaufman, with a kind of bulging meekness, a glisteningly gleeful timidity, puts the needle on the record.
    James Parker, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • My social media agency started with modest goals that seemed sensible for a new entrepreneur.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
  • His tombstone was flat and modest; people had left bouquets and stones.
    Paige Williams, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
Adjective
  • The user plays as a lowly Tarnished eager to help a mysterious woman named Melina get to a gigantic golden tree called the Erdtree.
    Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 23 May 2025
  • The show tells the story of how a lowly Cockney flower girl is accepted as royalty by improving her manner of speech with the help of a speech teacher.
    Jerry Weissman, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Adjective
  • There’s been the sublime, the abject, high drama, controversy, punch ups.
    The Athletic UK Staff, New York Times, 22 May 2025
  • Based on lottery odds, two years of abject losing might (but only might) get you a top-three pick.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 19 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Humble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humble. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

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