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Synonyms

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 Humble pie refers to a dish originally made from the innards of a deer.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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

It did not eat "humble pie;" it did not give him the full satisfaction of a complete apology; and yet it left no room for a further rejoinder.

From Dr. Wortle's School by Trollope, Anthony

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.