as in meekly
in a manner showing no signs of pride or self-assertion
humbly accepted the criticism
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Recent Examples of humbly
The drive The test took place humbly in downtown Los Angeles, mostly – no race tracks or solo three-lane highway sojourns.
—
Josh Max, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Theirs started humbly, and a bit unexpectedly.
—Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2026
Chalamet wore a conservative suit and tie and humbly thanked his fellow nominees, a dramatic shift in tone for the actor, who has tended toward the grandiose of late.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 5 Jan. 2026
In reality, many of the levees still in use today began much more humbly.
—Farshid Vahedifard, The Conversation, 29 Dec. 2025
The couple’s story began humbly in 2017, when both worked at a grocery store.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 24 Nov. 2025
Taking the podium, Jaramillo humbly thanked Hudak and his fellow officers for their support and Mayor Vince Lago praised Jaramillo, saying the city was blessed to have him and assured him that Coral Gables would always stand behind him.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 8 Nov. 2025
Despite his success, Yamamoto still carries himself humbly.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
While skiing in the Dolomites, I was humbly reminded that most hotel rooms in Italy don’t have coffee makers.
—Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 8 Oct. 2025
Josh Max, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Theirs started humbly, and a bit unexpectedly.
—Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2026
Chalamet wore a conservative suit and tie and humbly thanked his fellow nominees, a dramatic shift in tone for the actor, who has tended toward the grandiose of late.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 5 Jan. 2026
In reality, many of the levees still in use today began much more humbly.
—Farshid Vahedifard, The Conversation, 29 Dec. 2025
The couple’s story began humbly in 2017, when both worked at a grocery store.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 24 Nov. 2025
Taking the podium, Jaramillo humbly thanked Hudak and his fellow officers for their support and Mayor Vince Lago praised Jaramillo, saying the city was blessed to have him and assured him that Coral Gables would always stand behind him.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 8 Nov. 2025
Despite his success, Yamamoto still carries himself humbly.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
While skiing in the Dolomites, I was humbly reminded that most hotel rooms in Italy don’t have coffee makers.
—Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for humbly
Adverb
-
Moreover, the notion the public will meekly accept weaker radiation standards without explanation seems foolhardy.—
Katy Huff,
Scientific American,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Ball handlers would dribble close to the basket, only to meekly back away, sensing him looming.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
17 Dec. 2025
Adverb
-
What behaves politely in one climate or situation can become problematic in another, such as a garden abutting an open landscape.—
Erica Browne Grivas,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Beckford later asked politely to try on my jacket—a black Double RL officer’s coat from the 90 —and noticed the tags and buttons of a bygone era.—
Zachary Weiss,
Vanity Fair,
18 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Shields, 62, sheepishly joked after two false starts.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
28 Nov. 2025
-
An engineer with a litter-picker grabbed the fallen cloth and sheepishly moved it behind the machine, out of my line of sight.—
Billy Perrigo,
Time,
14 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Outwardly Smart behaved submissively, following her captors’ instructions while always looking for a way to escape.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Princess Bride is superbly planned and deferentially orchestrated — its theme fits its telling.—
Duane Byrge,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Defensive stocks outperformed more economically sensitive cyclical stocks, while the Polymarket odds of the US recession in 2026 rose modestly to 22%.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
-
The renovation started modestly with paint and new floors, but the owners soon tackled more ambitious projects.—
Sara B. Hansen,
Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
In a 1976 game, lowly Indiana took an early 7-to-6 lead over mighty Ohio State, so unexpected that Corso burned a timeout for the purpose of commemorative photos.—
Jon Wertheim,
CBS News,
15 Dec. 2025
-
Three hundred and sixty-five days after the Bears — then a lowly laughing stock en route to a third-straight last-place finish in the NFC North — fired Matt Eberflus as head coach, Johnson’s Bears bested the reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles over Thanksgiving weekend.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
4 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Humbly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humbly. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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