1
as in average
being about midway between extremes of amount or size
he was awarded a modest pension when he retired
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of modest
Which podcasts will be like CBS’ NCIS (hugely popular but ignored by awards shows) and which will be like HBO’s Hacks (modest viewership but adored by awards shows)?
—
James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2025
However, in the past decade there’s been a modest buildup of luxury and designer stores with the openings of Tiffany & Co. and Hermès on Wall Street, and Elyse Walker and Thom Browne in TriBeCa.
—David Moin, Footwear News, 8 May 2025
The Dow is toting a modest gain of 0.1%, heading for its third positive week in a row.
—Brian Evans, CNBC, 8 May 2025
To sell at the current price would mean a relatively modest $855,000 loss for the pair.
—Natalia Senanayake, People.com, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for modest
James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2025
However, in the past decade there’s been a modest buildup of luxury and designer stores with the openings of Tiffany & Co. and Hermès on Wall Street, and Elyse Walker and Thom Browne in TriBeCa.
—David Moin, Footwear News, 8 May 2025
The Dow is toting a modest gain of 0.1%, heading for its third positive week in a row.
—Brian Evans, CNBC, 8 May 2025
To sell at the current price would mean a relatively modest $855,000 loss for the pair.
—Natalia Senanayake, People.com, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for modest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for modest
Adjective
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Despite the increase, the average number of active listings remains below the average of 13,871 for April from 1985 to 2024.—
Sara B. Hansen,
Denver Post,
10 May 2025
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The average time a house remains on the market has also increased to 75 days.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 May 2025
Adjective
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Transform any rejection into pure business motivation and wins.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
12 May 2025
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By pure chance, Prevost was shown on the MLB on FOX broadcast for that game at U.S. Cellular Field on Oct. 22, 2005, and the cameras caught him during the top of the ninth inning as the White Sox were clinching a 5-3 win over the Houston Astros.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2025
Adjective
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His grandmother is also from Sicily and died just a few months shy of 100 years old.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
9 May 2025
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Keisha is a smart and confident track star whose circumstances pushed her to mature early, while Justin is a shy, music-loving guy who struggles with schoolwork.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2025
Adjective
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Netflix 19 of 20 A Tale of Two Kitchens (2019) The modest length of this short — which clocks in at 30 minutes — reflects its humble attitude.—
Katie Rife,
EW.com,
11 May 2025
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Flatten It Out Sea turtles don't have much mobility on land, and even the humblest sand structure can be a major obstacle to nesting females making their way across the sand or to hatchlings heading back toward the water.—
Katie Akin,
Southern Living,
10 May 2025
Adjective
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As the Times notes, median lunch prices are only around $3.—
Sonja Anderson,
Smithsonian Magazine,
12 May 2025
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Their analysis showed that a borrower earning the median U.S. AGI of $81,000 with four people the family, including 2 dependent children would see payments increase by close to $5,000 a year.—
Shahar Ziv,
Forbes.com,
12 May 2025
Adjective
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The rooms are immaculate but lifeless, albeit with a surfeit of gold leaf.—
Peter Rutland,
The Conversation,
9 May 2025
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Monica and Joey had immaculate vibes in the pods, and that bubbly energy never really went away.—
Charlotte Walsh,
Vulture,
5 May 2025
Adjective
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Its influence on the withdrawn protagonist, Jamie (played by Owen Cooper), is largely implied.—
Paula Mejía,
The Atlantic,
16 Apr. 2025
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The withdrawn San Francisco drama, about lonely nonbinary nanny and restaurant server Cass (Asia Kate Dillon), is simple in its presentation, but disguises numerous layers to its story.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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According to the latest report from L.A.’s film office, production days on location decreased more than 22 percent in the first quarter of 2025 compared with an already meek period in 2024.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
2 May 2025
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Democrats, unable either to diagnose or to admit to their own failings, measured their victories in the meekest of triumphs, and seemed to have lost all sense of purpose, direction, and proportion.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Modest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/modest. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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