1
as in average
being about midway between extremes of amount or size
he was awarded a modest pension when he retired
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pure
free from any trace of the coarse or indecent
tended to wear more modest swimsuits than the thong-clad guests at the resort
Synonyms & Similar Words
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3
as in shy
not comfortable around people
a modest winner who said a quick thank-you and promptly left the stage
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4
as in humble
not having or showing any feelings of superiority, self-assertiveness, or showiness
appealingly modest about her success in the fashion industry
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of modest
In 2018 and 2022, more modest proposals to increase homestead exemptions failed to get 60% of the public vote needed to pass.
—
Miami Herald, 29 May 2026
While none of the more extreme measures suggested by residents have garnered much support, the city will soon be considering more modest proposals.
—Anne Kadet, Curbed, 29 May 2026
Price reductions are rare and modest, typically between 5% and 10%.
—Sara B. Hansen, Denver Post, 29 May 2026
The report helped calm some fears about persistent inflation and offered modest relief for markets.
—Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for modest
Miami Herald, 29 May 2026
While none of the more extreme measures suggested by residents have garnered much support, the city will soon be considering more modest proposals.
—Anne Kadet, Curbed, 29 May 2026
Price reductions are rare and modest, typically between 5% and 10%.
—Sara B. Hansen, Denver Post, 29 May 2026
The report helped calm some fears about persistent inflation and offered modest relief for markets.
—Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for modest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for modest
Adjective
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Conversely, the department said its review of medical school admissions data from 2023 to 2025 found that 93% of white and certain Asian applicants had MCAT scores at or above those of the average Black student.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
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In 2012, the average American adult shifted focus after 74 seconds; today, that’s down to 47 seconds.—
Christian Perry,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Adjective
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Both of those latter cocktails are pure brightness, while the vanilla from the aged rum and the spice from the bitters in the Old Cuban moves it from poolside to inside as if under a slowly twisting ceiling fan in a smoky room, long narrow beams of light through the wooden shutters.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
6 June 2026
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But maybe more about devotion in its purest form.—
Stephanie Mack,
PEOPLE,
6 June 2026
Adjective
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Detmers was still 15 pitches shy of his season-high when Suzuki pulled him.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
11 June 2026
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The Knicks then outscored the Spurs, 58-30, in the second half, leaving them one win shy of their first championship since 1973.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
11 June 2026
Adjective
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The solution is a more humble acknowledgment of what price indices can and cannot do, combined with policy institutions that reduce the stakes of getting measurement wrong.—
James Broughel,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
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This $21 pair has an ankle strap for extra support and a humble two-inch heel.—
Reece Andavolgyi,
InStyle,
6 June 2026
Adjective
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And while the report shows that Miami’s overall median rent is dropping, Zumper’s data for some Miami-Dade neighborhoods and municipalities shows the opposite trend.—
Catherine Odom,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2026
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Black women are diagnosed with breast cancer at a younger median age (60, compared with 62 for white women) and are 38% more likely to die from the disease.—
Ayren Jackson-Cannady,
SELF,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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The immaculate lineup of laminated pastries, like a pandan cream croissant, is similarly finessed.—
Allecia Vermillion,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
26 May 2026
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Andreï Zvyagintsev’s Minotaur, a reworking of Chabrol’s The Unfaithful Wife as an immaculate domestic thriller set against contemporary Russia, took Cannes’ runner-up prize, the Grand Prix.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
23 May 2026
Adjective
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Patrick Stewart is also among those to have publicly discussed working with a withdrawn Hardy, who has also starred in The Dark Knight trilogy, Peaky Blinders and the Venom films.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
27 May 2026
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Read more on the deadly ripple effects of withdrawn aid.—
Theresa Gaffney,
STAT,
20 May 2026
Adjective
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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.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
8 June 2026
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Talarico’s Jesus is meek and mild, a man of heart rather than ego.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Modest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/modest. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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