1
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
2
as in innocently
with purity of thought and deed
dressed modestly to go to church
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of modestly
Mark not so modestly held up five fingers.
—
Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 18 Mar. 2026
But until recently, just one class of drugs—called renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors—had been shown to slow progression of the illness, and even those medications were only modestly effective.
—Tara Haelle, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
CalPERS Chief Investment Officer Stephen Gilmore said the future pricing of oil, which has modestly increased since the start of the war, suggests that markets are assuming this conflict will be relatively short.
—William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 16 Mar. 2026
Drinking beet juice has also been shown to modestly lower blood pressure in several studies.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 16 Mar. 2026
For now, that’s going to have to be enough for Lardis, who showed flashes of offense but was only modestly productive in a top-nine role earlier in the season.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2026
While revenue and profit topped first-quarter estimates, its second-quarter and full-year guidance only modestly exceeded Wall Street forecasts, and the stock slipped with the CEO transition announcement and as investors sought a more aggressive outlook.
—Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2026
Applications for unemployment benefits inched down modestly last week as layoffs remain at historically healthy levels despite a weakening job market.
—Matt Ott, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Before this maneuver, localities would have shared in the modestly higher income-tax revenues the state is collecting.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 18 Mar. 2026
But until recently, just one class of drugs—called renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors—had been shown to slow progression of the illness, and even those medications were only modestly effective.
—Tara Haelle, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
CalPERS Chief Investment Officer Stephen Gilmore said the future pricing of oil, which has modestly increased since the start of the war, suggests that markets are assuming this conflict will be relatively short.
—William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 16 Mar. 2026
Drinking beet juice has also been shown to modestly lower blood pressure in several studies.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 16 Mar. 2026
For now, that’s going to have to be enough for Lardis, who showed flashes of offense but was only modestly productive in a top-nine role earlier in the season.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2026
While revenue and profit topped first-quarter estimates, its second-quarter and full-year guidance only modestly exceeded Wall Street forecasts, and the stock slipped with the CEO transition announcement and as investors sought a more aggressive outlook.
—Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2026
Applications for unemployment benefits inched down modestly last week as layoffs remain at historically healthy levels despite a weakening job market.
—Matt Ott, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Before this maneuver, localities would have shared in the modestly higher income-tax revenues the state is collecting.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for modestly
Adverb
-
Preston and Stacy have a 45-year-long romance that began humbly and has flourished as their family and finances have grown.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Successful outreach requires making effort to understand how religious adherents think, acknowledging their concerns, and humbly recognizing that medical knowledge is shaped by more than mere empiricism.—
Cory Anderson,
STAT,
6 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Bethenny Frankel was innocently applying a roller on her face to help with inflammation on Thursday on Instagram.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The mistake begins innocently enough.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
10 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
The scene plays out as if the actors are politely averting their eyes while performing, without conjuring the deep moral revulsion Wolfe and LaChiusa might’ve intended.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
19 Mar. 2026
-
To even the score, Weir’s novel describes ammonia-breathing Rocky as smelling like cat pee, an aside the script politely omits.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Kayumi then appeared to sheepishly shrink in his chair.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Liu sheepishly turned and applauded the 17-year-old Nakai, who raced over and hugged her.—
Dave Skretta,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
While you may be tempted to pull it out of the oven when the top starts to brown, taking the pastry past light golden edges ensures a crispy crust that’s properly cooked all the way through.—
Rebecca Firkser,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Amelirad said Mohammadi had participated in anti-government protests that erupted earlier that year when Mahsa Amini died in police custody after being detained for not wearing her headscarf properly.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
22 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Princess Bride is superbly planned and deferentially orchestrated — its theme fits its telling.—
Duane Byrge,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
The vast majority of those who turn to self-representation do so purely out of need; that a new technology could serve as a democratizing force within the legal world, legal access advocates urge, is essential terrain to explore.—
Maggie Harrison Dupré,
Futurism,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Grammarly’s leadership framed the feature as designed to help users discover influential perspectives and provide meaningful opportunities for experts to build deeper relationships with their audiences, suggesting the intent was mutually beneficial rather than purely exploitative.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
That was checkmate, as Martinez grounded out meekly to end the season.—
Tyler Kepner,
New York Times,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Are members of Congress really supposed to sit meekly and quietly while the president uses the rostrum of their chamber to abuse and insult them in the ugliest language?—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Modestly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/modestly. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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