MODESTLY Synonyms: 83 Similar and Opposite Words

modestly

adverb

Definition of modestly

as in humbly

in a manner showing no signs of pride or self-assertion spoke modestly about his accomplishments as an entrepreneur

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in innocently

with purity of thought and deed dressed modestly to go to church

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 modestly On October 15, Lloyd’s List Intelligence reported that transit through the Bab el Mandeb Strait was up modestly from August. — Dana Stroul, Foreign Affairs, 28 Oct. 2026 So far, it's been chipping away at that objective one to four people at a time, with modestly sized offerings for tree and ground. — New Atlas, 25 Oct. 2026 There are some bright spots in technology, like cybersecurity and chip stocks, keeping the sector modestly in the green on the day but not enough to keep the S & P 500 and Nasdaq out of the red. — Alexa Lomonaco,matthew J. Belvedere,jeff Marks, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026 Some studies have found that tea consumption can modestly improve blood pressure, cholesterol levels and other markers of cardiovascular health. — Faye Chiu, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026 Some brands could be feeling input cost pressure at the same time that lower total import costs may support modestly better gross margins in the near term. — Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026 Both are curled in chairs in an otherwise empty room in an upscale Hyde Park Corner hotel, modestly dressed in jeans, sneakers and casual tops. — Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for modestly

Adverb

Related Stories Speaking to Variety on the red carpet at its London Film Festival premiere on Sunday, Garfield — who has been Oscar-nominated twice but never won — reacted humbly to the praise.

— Alex Ritman, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
And, as j-hope so humbly mentioned, the awards are just another milestone to add to what has already been a massive year for the group.

— Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of humbly

Adverb

Scottie’s pursuit of Madeleine, first as a quarry, begins innocently enough.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
His ideas align with Hinton’s, and by 2013 the two of them—along with a third partner, Fedor Fedotov’s Alex Krizhevsky—find themselves at Google, innocently pursuing their research.

— Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of innocently

Adverb

Passengers should politely ask their seatmate to move rather than attempting to climb over them, which can cause injuries.

— Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2026
Their ensuing correspondence with the department began politely but devolved into threats and demands emphasized in italic type.

— Barton Gellman, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of politely

Adverb

The solution is a lot of morphine and a lot of rest, both of which Cathy undertakes with Adam constantly (and chastely) by her side.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
Take The Music Lesson, a study of a young woman playing the virginal, closely watched by a gentleman, which Graham-Dixon reads as a depiction of Collegiants chastely performing and singing psalms.

— Clare Bucknell, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026

Definition of chastely

Adverb

This visual communication is very useful during simulated space missions on land, too, especially in situations when our communications technologies have not worked properly.

— Michaela Musilova, Space.com, 27 Oct. 2026
When pension shortfalls, other post-employment benefits and deferred maintenance are properly counted, the true financial condition of Maryland and its local governments is far weaker than the official budget statements claim.

— Judi Willard, Baltimore Sun, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of properly

Adverb

If Coulter’s framing takes hold with home gardeners, native, nectar-heavy species such as milkweed, asters, coneflowers and butterfly bushes may show up in beds that used to be purely ornamental.

— Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 30 Oct. 2026
While Lakshmana’s actions are presented as ways of protecting Sita, the mockery and teasing make the disfigurement hard to be seen as purely defensive and protective.

— Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of purely

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modest

modestly

modesty

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“Modestly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/modestly. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of modestly

adverb

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