humble 1 of 2

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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humble

2 of 2

verb

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
Ramirez described Flores as a humble, funny and caring person. Gina Lee Castro, jsonline.com, 24 Aug. 2025 The humble pantry staple, mayonnaise, is the secret ingredient in this ultra-moist chocolate cake. Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2025
Verb
That was really the thing that was so great about that time for me is that I was really humbled by that place, man. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 30 July 2025 It’s been truly humbling to see our dream become tangible. Blaine Callahan, Hartford Courant, 26 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for humble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for humble
Adjective
  • Subsequently, Pakistan also bargained down the new American tariffs on its goods from 29% to 19% — relatively meek next to India’s rate.
    Andreas Kluth, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2025
  • That 19% share is meek compared with where U.S. investors are most intensely busy – in states with small populations and tourism hooks.
    Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 21 July 2025
Adjective
  • Avoid puddles - Driving into puddles or low rainwater areas can lead to vehicles hydroplaning or losing control.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 24 Aug. 2025
  • This has meant that for years, national esports events have featured lower tier players as the big names have been focused on winning world championships with their clubs.
    Mike Stubbs, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Bahrain is ruled by Sunnis and has a mostly Shiite population permanently restless over its servile condition.
    Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 13 June 2025
  • His servile defense secretary has threatened to deploy the military in other cities.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 13 June 2025
Verb
  • Plato fled Syracuse, humiliated by the tyrants’ taunts.
    Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
  • Critics, including Lithuania's former foreign minister, warned the episode reflects Moscow's intent to provoke and humiliate its adversaries on the global stage.
    Hannah Parry Amanda Castro Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Fourth-grade average reading scores in Milwaukee dropped from 196 in 2009 to 179 in 2024, while peer districts have shown modest gains.
    Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 26 Aug. 2025
  • The other two counties, Clinton located outside of Lafayette and Clark across the Ohio River from Louisville, referred inquiries about those partnerships to ICE, which has not responded with records requested by IndyStar. Marion County's Adult Detention Center has more modest numbers.
    Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Last season was another tough one despite making the playoffs as the No. 8 seed in the lowly Eastern Conference.
    Ricardo Klein, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025
  • There were surprises in store as Atlético Madrid crashed to a 2-1 defeat away to Espanyol and lowly Getafe, with not even a full squad of players available, beat Celta Vigo 2-0 on the road.
    Sam Leveridge, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Weapons plays along the same lines in this sub-genre’s sandbox, too, denying easy catharsis after wracking viewers’ nerves with its combination of pitch-black humor, abject grief, and superbly conducted jump scares.
    Andy Crump, Time, 9 Aug. 2025
  • There can be no cure for this abject failure without a full, head-on attack on the medical establishment and a renewal of ethical priorities.
    David Marks, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • But the Newsom administration has tried to discredit that estimate since the independent auditor published the report last week.
    William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 19 Aug. 2025
  • Right-wing Channel 14 has devoted coverage in recent weeks to discrediting some reports of starving children.
    Emily Rose, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Humble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humble. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.

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