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
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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
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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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Robert Reich of the University of California, Berkeley, wrote recently that average Americans pay a 14% tax rate, but billionaires pay less than 2%.—
Stephen Moore,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
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The Marshalls, who now own an architectural firm called Back Forty Buildings that services hundreds of families across the country with barndominium or rural home plans, estimate that the average person makes about 40,000 decisions in planning and building a home.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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There are other ETFs branded under the space investing theme that have been in the market for years already, building portfolios of stocks that include pure-play, high-risk space exploration companies, satellite companies, and broader aerospace and defense sector names.—
Krysta Escobar,
CNBC,
30 May 2026
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The introduction of this tournament helped transform football from a pure enjoyment into a competitive sport, first played by amateurs and later by professionals.—
Thomas Adam,
The Conversation,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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That’s just shy of the all-time high set the prior week.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
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In the show, shy Briar U music major Hannah Wells (Ella Bright) and cocky team captain Garrett Graham (Belmont Cameli) begin fake-dating to try to catch the attention of Hannah’s crush.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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All three recipes are classic side dishes, made with a few humble ingredients.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
24 May 2026
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For the Yuhaaviatam tribe, the humble yucca plant offers a living history woven into the resort.—
Erica Olsen,
CBS News,
24 May 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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His is a more enlightened era, but Hannes, lonely and withdrawn, doesn’t share his classmates’ interest in campus sit-ins and free love.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
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Lost was the fact that a grid-connection request is just the start of a multiyear process that involves permitting and legal review and often ends in withdrawn or downsized projects.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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Gone was the meek servant child, replaced by a confident woman who remained composed during aggressive cross-examination.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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In Sylvie’s imagination, Nita becomes Anna, a sultry beauty with a cruel streak who has been dating the meek Christophe (Niney) while secretly engaging in an affair with their married boss, Pierre (Cassel).—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Modest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/modest. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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