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Synonyms

humbled

American  
[huhm-buhld, uhm-] / ˈhʌm bəld, ˈʌm- /

adjective

  1. made less proud, especially by awe or admiration, or by gratitude for help received, an undeserved advantage or honor, etc..

    The land is a perpetual gift; I am humbled like a stranger who is invited to dinner and fed the best food in the house.

  2. lowered in condition, power, or dignity; abased.

    NATO air strikes and tightening sanctions finally brought the humbled aggressors to the negotiating table.

verb

  1. the simple past tense and past participle of humble.

Other Word Forms

  • unhumbled adjective

Etymology

Origin of humbled

humble ( def. ) + -ed 2

Explanation

Someone who's humbled is made to feel less proud — they're chastened or deflated. A humbled sports star might be one who addresses the public after being punished for cheating. Your favorite basketball team is humbled if they lose badly to one of the worst teams in the league, and your schoolmate is humbled after bragging that he had straight As, only to get a miserable report card. In both cases, the humbled person or group has been brought down to earth, or taken down a peg. They're a little bit embarrassed and a little bit subdued. The Latin root is humilis, "lowly," and literally, "on the ground."

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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.

I should know: I was humbled on two separate occasions by his sharp analysis.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

I’m just really humbled and thankful to be a part of a team and staff that cares about things from the inside out.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 29, 2026

Fr Gormley, who has been close to those impacted by the tragedy since it occurred, said he was "humbled by the graciousness of Amy's family".

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

The city’s generosity of spirit has humbled me and strengthened my resolve to serve well.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

I stand before you humbled by your courage, with a heart full of love for all of you.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

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.