humble
Americanadjective
-
humbler,
comparative
-
humblest
superlative
-
not proud or arrogant; modest.
Though very successful, she remained humble.
- Synonyms:
- unpretentious
- Antonyms:
- proud
-
having a feeling of insignificance, inferiority, subservience, etc..
In the presence of so many world-famous writers I felt very humble.
- Synonyms:
- meek, deferential
- Antonyms:
- proud
-
low in rank, importance, status, quality, etc.; lowly.
of humble origin;
a humble home.
- Synonyms:
- poor, common, plain, unassuming
-
courteously respectful.
In my humble opinion you are wrong.
- Synonyms:
- polite
-
low in height, level, etc.; small in size.
a humble member of the galaxy.
verb (used with object)
-
humbles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
humbled,
past participle, past
-
humbling
present participle
adjective
-
conscious of one's failings
-
unpretentious; lowly
a humble cottage
my humble opinion
-
deferential or servile
verb
-
to cause to become humble; humiliate
-
to lower in status
Synonym Usage
Humble, degrade, humiliate suggest lowering or causing to seem lower. To humble is to bring down the pride of another or to reduce them to a state of abasement: to humble an arrogant enemy. To degrade is to demote in rank or standing, or to reduce to a low level in dignity: to degrade an officer; to degrade oneself by lying. To humiliate is to make others feel or appear inadequate or unworthy, especially in some public setting: to humiliate a sensitive person.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
humblenessnoun
-
humblernoun
-
humbledadjective
-
humblingadjective
-
overhumbleadjective
-
quasi-humbleadjective
-
unhumbleadjective
-
humblinglyadverb
-
humblyadverb
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
humblesimple
-
humblessimple
-
have humbledperfect
-
has humbledperfect
-
am humblingprogressive
-
are humblingprogressive
-
is humblingprogressive
-
have been humblingperfect progressive
-
has been humblingperfect progressive
Past
-
humbledsimple
-
had humbledperfect
-
was humblingprogressive
-
were humblingprogressive
-
had been humblingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of humble
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English (h)umble, from Old French, from Latin humilis “lowly, insignificant, on the ground”; see humus, -ile
Explanation
Humble means "modest; without an excess of pride." A person who brags about being humble may have too much pride in being humble to actually be humble. Sometimes fictional characters try to earn favor by saying "I'm just a humble man in search of..." when it is obvious they are the opposite. Truly humble people keep quiet about their accomplishments and the good things they do. Humble can also mean "low in station or quality." If you come from a humble background, you didn't grow up wealthy, and if you live in a humble apartment, it isn't overly grand or showy.
Vocabulary lists containing humble
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"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A global symbol of parties and celebrations but an environmental headache, the humble balloon is undergoing a green revolution thanks to UK researchers.
From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026
A deep dive that might change how you see bar soap: The humble bar of soap used to define the American way.
From Slate ● Aug. 19, 2026
“I just try to be humble and try to prove to myself that I deserve to be here,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
Tyler's manager Matthew Davies spoke of the singer's humble personality, saying she was "always a star but never a diva".
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
In 1974, Schindler died in humble circumstances in Hildesheim in what was then West Germany.
From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson
Beijing has also set its sights on far humbler targets, Taiwanese officials say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
“Then our dreams became humbler, to liberate our own lands. Now it’s even less. We don’t want to liberate anything. We just want to stay home and not leave our homes,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 7, 2026
Long before its buttery aroma seeped into the upholstery of American theaters, the snack lived a humbler life.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 13, 2026
They also produce large works of public art, grand human figures being soldered together next to humbler vinyl signs of the city’s workaday sandwich shops.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 8, 2024
The birds did not understand Snowball’s long words, but they accepted his explanation, and all the humbler animals set to work to learn the new maxim by heart.
From "Animal Farm: A Fairy Story" by George Orwell
Dishwashers occupy one of the humblest rungs, but they are among the most badly needed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 12, 2026
His abhorrent behavior is sadly too common across the restaurant industry, from the finest dining to the humblest street stalls.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 13, 2026
Will, the humblest member of our group of five heroes, learned last episode that he is dying of Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
From New York Times ● Mar. 22, 2024
Simple, ignoble, under-appreciated green cabbage: It has got to be one of the most unpretentious and humblest in all of the Cruciferae family, if not among the entire vegetable kingdom.
From Salon ● Mar. 14, 2024
Everyone was there, from Queen Warbeak and Log-a-Log to Cornflower and Silent Sam, down to the humblest mouse.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
He has a flop with his film, “Big Top Pee-wee,” which humbles him.
From Salon ● Jan. 30, 2025
“Everything right now feels so overwhelming. All the support humbles us, but where do we begin?”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 17, 2025
“The game’s so hard and it humbles you so much, we’re taught and kind of trained to keep your eye on what’s in the present,” Counsell said.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 27, 2023
“Yeah, it kind of humbles me a little bit, and it makes me think of what are the other ways I can contribute to the team,” Carlson said.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 12, 2023
The pattern of evolutionary causality is a web of astonishing complexity; the incompleteness of our understanding humbles us.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
I am humbled that you’d ask me for a third opinion.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
“I was humbled and blown away by the incredible response to the opening of ‘The Mad King,’” co-producer Simon Painter said Monday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
"I sincerely regret any action, omission, misunderstanding or misinterpretation that may have resulted in a non-compliance with the order," a humbled Duale told the court.
From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026
Both Washington and Moscow were humbled in foreign wars in the past.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026
As for Lazlo, he was awed and humbled.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
The fumble with the NFL was a humbling experience for Iger, who is a lifelong passionate sports fan.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
“It’s very humbling to be down there and try to bring some of our fellow soldiers, sailors back home,” said Chief Petty Officer Jason Friars, a U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
In a humbling parallel, the team was recently relegated from Germany’s top soccer league.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
"It's a huge honour and incredibly humbling to be named on the King's Birthday Honours list," Scarratt said.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
I had not hitchhiked in twenty-five years, and it was a vaguely humbling experience.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
