eat humble pie

Cultural  

1. To be forced to acknowledge one's deficiencies or errors: “Professor Norris had to eat humble pie when the reviewers pointed out numerous factual errors in his book.” Humble pie refers to a dish originally made from the innards of a deer.

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

eat humble pie

One said they thought they would have to "eat humble pie" and admit their initial instinct "was wrong" and that "Rishi has squared the circle."

From BBC ● Feb. 28, 2023

But the man has his limits; he’s not about to eat humble pie.

From The Guardian ● Jan. 11, 2018

Have you ever had to eat humble pie?

From Washington Post ● Nov. 9, 2017

Someone is going to have to eat humble pie, another club is going to have to take a risk; or a capable young player is going to waste his talents over the next 18 months.

From The Guardian ● Dec. 7, 2015

He had, too, won the respect of the little coterie who had seen the terrible "champeen" eat humble pie before a fellow half his size.

From Ralph in the Switch Tower by Chapman, Allen

Related Words

• abandon
• capitulate
• cede
• commit
• concede
• give in
• hand over
• leave
• quit
• relinquish
• renounce
• submit
• succumb
• waive
• yield