humbling

American  

[huhm-bling, uhm-] / ˈhʌm blɪŋ, ˈʌm- /

adjective

1. causing a person to feel less proud, especially through awe, admiration, or gratitude.

   This project has involved some exceptionally talented people and it’s been a humbling experience to work with them.

2. lowering a person’s status, power, dignity, confidence, etc..

   The 26:2 vote in favor of their opponents was indeed a humbling defeat.

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noun

1. the act of affecting a person or thing in any of these ways, or the experience of being so affected.

   The Magna Carta marked the restoration of Anglo-Saxon freedom and the humbling of Norman tyranny.

Other Word Forms

• humblingly adverb
• self-humbling adjective

Etymology

Origin of humbling

First recorded in 1540–50; humbl(e) ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; humbl(e) ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun sense

Example Sentences

For Ireland, however, they face into a difficult week following their autumn losses to New Zealand and South Africa with another humbling reverse against a fellow member of the world's top five.

From BBC

"It's humbling for me to work with Aden, to know how much he admired what we did, how it influenced him, and to see where he is today," he said.

From BBC

For the first couple of days, it was shocking, but now it is humbling - people have reached out to say it inspired them to have the conversation with their parents.

From BBC

The courage and resilience of the people I have met since, who have managed, despite terrible loss and adversity, to turn their shattered lives around, is both humbling and awe-inspiring.

From BBC

“It was a humbling experience for a lot of sophisticated financial investors to see such an irrational behavior driving markets so violently,” says Mudrick.

From Barron's

Related Words

• contempt
• degradation
• dishonor
• disrespect
• humiliation
• ignominy
• opprobrium
• reproach
• scorn
• stigma