as in humiliating
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as in humiliation
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as in discrediting
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of humbling
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Jan. 2026
Those listeners are the ones who are our backbone, which is very humbling.
—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
17 Oct. 2025
This sub is routinely very humbling.
—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Aug. 2025
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
29 June 2026
Britain has experienced major blows to investment and productivity, a historic surge in annual net migration, and—shorn of the diplomatic heft of a united Europe and subject to the whims of a bullying Trump—a geopolitical humbling.
—
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
25 June 2026
Gymnastics is the most humbling sport.
—
Gillian Telling,
PEOPLE,
25 June 2026
The building's opulence is a humbling, stunning testament to this city's centuries-long commitment to the arts.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 June 2026
Instead, Curaçao goalkeeper Eloy Room made an incredible 15 saves and Ecuador walked away with a humbling result against an opponent it was heavily favored to beat.
—
Kellis Robinett,
Kansas City Star,
21 June 2026
Indeed, it’s been 60 years since England won the 1966 World Cup on their home soil, a humbling reality for the country credited with inventing soccer and that boasts the sport’s most prestigious professional league.
—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
15 June 2026
The movie Spielberg has made is simultaneously grand and humbling.
—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
9 June 2026
These are the humbling words of American defender Miles Robinson, who is set to feature in his first World Cup this summer.
—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
29 June 2026
For Shen, the response has been both humbling and deeply personal.
—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
29 June 2026
What a fantastic and humbling time to be alive.
—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
24 June 2026
Still, Griffin found the moment humbling.
—
Gary Sernovitz,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Luis Enrique then led the nation to the Euro 2020 semi-finals, losing on penalties again to Italy, but World Cup 2022 brought another humbling last-16 defeat by Morocco — settled once more by a shootout.
—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
13 June 2026
San Antonio has suffered a series of humbling tragicomedies, each more painful than the last.
—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
12 June 2026
Speaking to the media after earning the victory, Hatton got candid about how his young daughter has given him a new perspective and motivation to perform at his best in what was a very cool, humbling moment.
—
Mark Harris Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
Brad Stevens admitted last month, after the Celtics followed up an excellent regular season with a humbling first-round loss to Philadelphia, that Boston did not have the talent to compete with the NBA’s true championship contenders.
—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
1 June 2026
Adjective
Being on an island starving is very humbling.
—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Jan. 2026
Those listeners are the ones who are our backbone, which is very humbling.
—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
17 Oct. 2025
This sub is routinely very humbling.
—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
But what Connecticut got was the top golfer in the world, at his very best at times, yet bitten in the end by the humbling nature of the most humbling of games.
—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
29 June 2026
Britain has experienced major blows to investment and productivity, a historic surge in annual net migration, and—shorn of the diplomatic heft of a united Europe and subject to the whims of a bullying Trump—a geopolitical humbling.
—
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
25 June 2026
Gymnastics is the most humbling sport.
—
Gillian Telling,
PEOPLE,
25 June 2026
The building's opulence is a humbling, stunning testament to this city's centuries-long commitment to the arts.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 June 2026
Instead, Curaçao goalkeeper Eloy Room made an incredible 15 saves and Ecuador walked away with a humbling result against an opponent it was heavily favored to beat.
—
Kellis Robinett,
Kansas City Star,
21 June 2026
Indeed, it’s been 60 years since England won the 1966 World Cup on their home soil, a humbling reality for the country credited with inventing soccer and that boasts the sport’s most prestigious professional league.
—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
15 June 2026
The movie Spielberg has made is simultaneously grand and humbling.
—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
9 June 2026
These are the humbling words of American defender Miles Robinson, who is set to feature in his first World Cup this summer.
—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
Verb
But what Connecticut got was the top golfer in the world, at his very best at times, yet bitten in the end by the humbling nature of the most humbling of games.
—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
29 June 2026
For Shen, the response has been both humbling and deeply personal.
—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
29 June 2026
What a fantastic and humbling time to be alive.
—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
24 June 2026
Still, Griffin found the moment humbling.
—
Gary Sernovitz,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Luis Enrique then led the nation to the Euro 2020 semi-finals, losing on penalties again to Italy, but World Cup 2022 brought another humbling last-16 defeat by Morocco — settled once more by a shootout.
—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
13 June 2026
San Antonio has suffered a series of humbling tragicomedies, each more painful than the last.
—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
12 June 2026
Speaking to the media after earning the victory, Hatton got candid about how his young daughter has given him a new perspective and motivation to perform at his best in what was a very cool, humbling moment.
—
Mark Harris Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
Brad Stevens admitted last month, after the Celtics followed up an excellent regular season with a humbling first-round loss to Philadelphia, that Boston did not have the talent to compete with the NBA’s true championship contenders.
—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
1 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for humbling
Adjective
-
The fallout in financial markets forced the government into a humiliating U-turn and ultimately led to Truss’ resignation after just 49 days in the job.
-
Fun a nefarious site preying on people’s financial insecurities through humiliating tasks?
Noun
-
Darcy’s first proposal is a humiliation—for him, not her—and his transformation in the novel’s second half works because Austen is unsparing about what Elizabeth’s rejection actually reveals.
-
The New York governor fled in humiliation.
Verb
-
Kiryl Pazniak, 49, who hosted a popular political show on YouTube, has been convicted on the charges of discrediting Belarus and forming an extremist organization, the group said — accusations widely used by authorities to stifle critical voices.
-
Defense attorney Tom Mesereau was an expert at discrediting witnesses, subjects told the filmmakers, but certain key witnesses, like Janet Arvizo, struggled to connect with the jury on their own.
Adjective
-
Some women who filed lawsuits against Ortega reported they had been confused about whether demeaning or uncomfortable actions the doctor engaged in during exams was within the bounds of necessary medical behavior.
-
Some of the women interviewed for the article claimed that Platner could be demeaning to women and, in at least one case, even physically threatening.
Noun
-
Your historical victory is your reward for your historical abasement.
Verb
-
The moms aren’t embarrassing their kids.
-
Several other policy changes led to blowback from the public and Starmer was forced to make a series of embarrassing U-turns that provided political capital for opponents and fed beliefs that the prime minister didn’t stand for much.
Adjective
-
No one should be subject to listening to the most degrading and profane words that now seem popular with some people.
-
According to the company, the electronic attack variant is intended to provide non-kinetic effects on the battlefield by disrupting and degrading enemy sensors and reconnaissance networks.
Noun
-
What bothers me is the foot-dragging, the spinning in circles, the slow degradation of these characters into annoying stereotypes.
-
Over time, this can increase electrical resistance, generate excess heat, and accelerate battery degradation.
Cite this Entry
“Humbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humbling. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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