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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Recent Examples of humbling
Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025
This sub is routinely very humbling.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
What's your last humbling and or hilarious moment?
—Outside Online, 22 Oct. 2025
By contrast, the 93-69 Dodgers stumbled at times during the regular season, including several late-game collapses by a shaky bullpen and a humbling September sweep by the last-place Pittsburgh Pirates.
—Becky Sullivan, NPR, 20 Oct. 2025
The Panthers are winless through its first four games on this five-game road trip, with their 3-0 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday afternoon at KeyBank Center perhaps the most humbling of the quartet.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2025
For Jackie, the experience became a humbling reminder that even the most careful new parents will make mistakes—and that is okay.
—Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
By Antonio Morales, Austin Meek and Ira Gorawara Michigan’s first trip to the Coliseum since 1957 produced a statement win for USC and a humbling loss for the Wolverines.
—The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
This is a very humbling business.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Oct. 2025
It's been a very humbling experience, but also a fight for my life experience.
—Daniela Avila, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025
Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Nine hours after addressing reporters in the wake of a humbling 28-6 loss to Baltimore, Mike McDaniel was at it again on Friday, speaking to Dolphins reporters via Zoom in the normal day-after-game media availability that’s required for all NFL head coaches.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025
There was something grounding and humbling about that.
—Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
The prospect of being a father and getting to watch my wife become a mother is both humbling and exciting.
—Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 20 Oct. 2025
This remarkable discovery is a powerful and humbling reminder that people have walked this land, our home in Fayette County, for millennia.
—Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2025
There was something so humbling and beautiful in seeing one great athlete crown another.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 13 Oct. 2025
Then, the team offered something of a tribute to the final years of Sullivan’s time in Pittsburgh in a humbling 6-1 loss.
—Josh Yohe, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
To have led this extraordinary community has been nothing short of humbling.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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
Johnson has previously opened up about the humbling start to her acting career.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
What's your last humbling and or hilarious moment?
—Outside Online, 22 Oct. 2025
By contrast, the 93-69 Dodgers stumbled at times during the regular season, including several late-game collapses by a shaky bullpen and a humbling September sweep by the last-place Pittsburgh Pirates.
—Becky Sullivan, NPR, 20 Oct. 2025
The Panthers are winless through its first four games on this five-game road trip, with their 3-0 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday afternoon at KeyBank Center perhaps the most humbling of the quartet.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2025
For Jackie, the experience became a humbling reminder that even the most careful new parents will make mistakes—and that is okay.
—Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
By Antonio Morales, Austin Meek and Ira Gorawara Michigan’s first trip to the Coliseum since 1957 produced a statement win for USC and a humbling loss for the Wolverines.
—The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
This is a very humbling business.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Oct. 2025
It's been a very humbling experience, but also a fight for my life experience.
—Daniela Avila, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
Miami has lost two of its last three outings, including a humbling 26-20 defeat in overtime to SMU in Week 10.
—Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Nine hours after addressing reporters in the wake of a humbling 28-6 loss to Baltimore, Mike McDaniel was at it again on Friday, speaking to Dolphins reporters via Zoom in the normal day-after-game media availability that’s required for all NFL head coaches.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025
There was something grounding and humbling about that.
—Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
The prospect of being a father and getting to watch my wife become a mother is both humbling and exciting.
—Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 20 Oct. 2025
This remarkable discovery is a powerful and humbling reminder that people have walked this land, our home in Fayette County, for millennia.
—Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2025
There was something so humbling and beautiful in seeing one great athlete crown another.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 13 Oct. 2025
Then, the team offered something of a tribute to the final years of Sullivan’s time in Pittsburgh in a humbling 6-1 loss.
—Josh Yohe, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
To have led this extraordinary community has been nothing short of humbling.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for humbling
Adjective
-
In fact, citizen support never materialized, and the operation was a humiliating failure for the Kennedy Administration.—
David Smilde,
Time,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Playing in primetime for the first time since a humiliating Week 1 loss to TCU, will Bill Belichick's Tar Heels get their elusive first ACC win?—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Lasting under eight minutes, the sketch evokes German uniform worship and the accompanying demand for humiliation as powerfully as the stern psychosocial analysis of the day did.—
David Denby,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Public humiliation techniques for playful hazing, such as karaoke and talent shows, are used on occasion.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
To be put in this category is discrediting.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Already, Cuba’s top diplomats have been sharing propaganda content discrediting Machado as a warmonger.—
Nora Gamez Torres,
Miami Herald,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In a post dripping with arrogance, Lynch dished out demeaning nicknames for her recent opponents.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
-
But parading around half-naked at competitions felt demeaning.—
Sean Williams,
Outside,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Still, the former University of Miami standout did not want to be dealt, even publicly stating that just hours after the Dolphins’ embarrassing 28-6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
3 Nov. 2025
-
For French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, the heist spotlights embarrassing security failings at one of France’s most venerable institutions.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Bosch also emphasized her respect for Thailand and encouraged women not to tolerate degrading treatment.—
Sarah Moreno,
Miami Herald,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Charles Rolsky, executive director and senior research scientist at the Shaw Institute, a nonprofit focusing on the links between environmental and human health, says that many studies, including his own, suggest PVA can pass through wastewater treatment without completely degrading.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Labbate is head of the Climate Mitigation Unit and is global team leader of the UN-REDD Programme at UNEP, which is aimed at reducing emissions from deforestation and land degradation.—
Jeff Young,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
-
In contrast, Mitsubishi’s PHEVs showed noticeable degradation even at relatively low mileages, though this decline tended to level off later in the vehicle’s life.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The answer might be a mortifying surprise.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Oct. 2025
-
This is not a disaster or a triumph — this is just high school as a necessary, sometimes mortifying, and occasionally meaningful part of life.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Humbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humbling. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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