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
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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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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
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
as in humiliating
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in humiliation
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Dissimilar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of humble
Anne Gelhaus,
Mercury News,
28 June 2026
For an institution that has educated so many American presidents, Nobel laureates and Declaration of Independence signers, Harvard University had a rather humble beginning.
—
Joe Yogerst,
CNN Money,
27 June 2026
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
26 June 2026
Anguay said in a statement that she was humbled by the appointment, and said the utility would maintain its focus on providing safe, reliable power at affordable rates.
—
Sacbee.com,
24 June 2026
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
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
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
See All Example Sentences for humble
Adjective
As with many Silicon Valley start-ups, the beginnings were humble.
—
Anne Gelhaus,
Mercury News,
28 June 2026
For an institution that has educated so many American presidents, Nobel laureates and Declaration of Independence signers, Harvard University had a rather humble beginning.
—
Joe Yogerst,
CNN Money,
27 June 2026
Verb
Biden’s act of clemency humbled Dobbs, his wife said.
—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
26 June 2026
Anguay said in a statement that she was humbled by the appointment, and said the utility would maintain its focus on providing safe, reliable power at affordable rates.
—
Sacbee.com,
24 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
Noun
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
Verb
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
See All Example Sentences for humble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for humble
Adjective
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Contrasting her with the meek, mysterious, and passive Anthy, the series examines the constrictions both men and women face via traditional gender roles, with an eye towards gender fluidity that remains radical today.
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The series centers on Cha Myung-jo, a meek worker at a company producing imitation character stickers who, despite nominally heading his household, lives in the shadow of his far more capable wife.
Adjective
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Those groups also have lower access to drugs that can stop the transmission of HIV.
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Last winter was the second-warmest on record, according to the city’s ordinance, with record low snowpack almost everywhere.
Adjective
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Unfortunately, Trump takes servile flattery as his due.
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Of course, all of this convenient acquiescence will sound familiar in the United States, where our own Congress and Department of Justice have been nothing if not servile to a brazenly corrupt executive.
Verb
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Israel must leave humiliated and defeated — and that is exactly what will happen.
-
Instead of demanding personal fealty or humiliating them to assert personal dominance, Lincoln absorbed their egos and occasional slights, elevating their talents and turning his fiercest political adversaries into his most devoted champions.
Adjective
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In a high-debt environment, even a modest increase in interest rates can add a significant fiscal burden.
-
This sentiment stems from accelerating inflation, a cooling labor market, modest productivity gains, and AI's unfulfilled promise of broad wage increases.
Adjective
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The Blues finished a lowly 10th in the Premier League table last season.
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Miller added that not only was Movie Night back, but us lowly fans are its curators.
Adjective
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The 2026 season has been an abject disaster, the sort that was more common under the previous ownership.
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The president ran on ending wars, but for the last 15 weeks, his choices have been nothing more than an abject failure.
Verb
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Instead, they are encouraged to view blue zones primarily through the lens of a sloppy critique that has already been discredited.
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This doesn’t discredit the fact that mental and physical changes from menopause can be disorienting and jarring.
Cite this Entry
“Humble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humble. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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