modestly
Americanadverb
-
reflecting a moderate or humble estimate of one’s merits, importance, etc.; not boastfully.
He modestly puts all of his success down to timing.
-
in a way that is free from showy extravagance; not ostentatiously.
For a billionaire, he lives rather modestly in a home he bought decades ago.
-
in a way that shows regard for decency in behavior, speech, dress, etc..
When visiting religious sites, avoid offense by dressing modestly: cover your shoulders, torsos, and thighs.
-
within reasonable limits; moderately.
A modestly priced economy car may be more appropriate for your teenage driver.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of modestly
Explanation
To do something modestly is to do it in a humble way, without showing off. After her play's successful opening night, a playwright might choose to sit modestly in the audience rather than going on stage to bow. When you act in an unpretentious way, you act modestly, and when you do something in the simplest way possible, you also do it modestly. The adjective modest can mean both "humble" and "small." Modesty and modest come from the Latin modestia, "sense of honor," or "correctness of conduct," from the root word modus, "measure or manner."
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.
But being even modestly above average is still a far cry from declaring that August is a losing month for the stock market.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
—Bitcoin fell modestly as investors took profits after the cryptocurrency reached a five-week high in the previous session.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
She lives modestly and is grateful for the inheritance, but she’s unsure of the best way to handle it.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026
“That could temper demand modestly until spreads widen out further.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Cassiopeia burst into fits of laughter while Penelope, eyes modestly shielded with one hand, walked across the room to give the bellpull a tug.
From "The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I: The Mysterious Howling" by Maryrose Wood
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.
