humble
- not proud or arrogant; modest: to be humble although successful.
- having a feeling of insignificance, inferiority, subservience, etc.: In the presence of so many world-famous writers I felt very humble.
- low in rank, importance, status, quality, etc.; lowly: of humble origin; a humble home.
- courteously respectful: In my humble opinion you are wrong.
- low in height, level, etc.; small in size: a humble member of the galaxy.
- to lower in condition, importance, or dignity; abase.
- to destroy the independence, power, or will of.
- to make meek: to humble one's heart.
Origin of humble
Synonyms for humble
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comSynonym study
Antonyms for humble
Related Words for humbled
crush, disgrace, chasten, subdue, chagrin, confuse, upset, deflate, confound, mortify, embarrass, overcome, humiliate, discredit, discomfit, lower, hide, sink, reduce, denyExamples from the Web for humbled
Contemporary Examples of humbled
In an interview with The Daily Beast, Curtis said she was “honored and humbled” to even be considered.
And humbled Socialists rallied to throw support behind the conservative Chirac.
"I am profoundly moved and humbled to be asked to take on the CEO role at this company that means so much to me," Bailey said.
Eric Wilson Named InStyle's Fashion News Director; Christopher Bailey Replaces Angela Ahrendts as Burberry CEOThe Fashion Beast Team
October 15, 2013
Having been humbled once, Cameron decided not to risk a re-run in Parliament.
That claim crumbled as Cameron was humbled in the House of Commons.
Historical Examples of humbled
I was, in truth, and not more so than deeply mortified and humbled.
The curse of circumstance had humbled, but reconciled him to the dust.
Leila, CompleteEdward Bulwer-Lytton
Before the grief of the man, mighty in its silence, my whole being was humbled.
Ranald Bannerman's BoyhoodGeorge MacDonald
It humbled and abashed the man, and made him still more irresolute and uncertain.
Barnaby RudgeCharles Dickens
"I'm afraid I haven't washed it very often," confessed the humbled Prince.
Prince VanceEleanor Putnam
humble
- conscious of one's failings
- unpretentious; lowlya humble cottage; my humble opinion
- deferential or servile
- to cause to become humble; humiliate
- to lower in status
Word Origin for humble
Word Origin and History for humbled
humble
mid-13c., from Old French humble, earlier humele, from Latin humilis "lowly, humble," literally "on the ground," from humus "earth." Senses of "not self-asserting" and "of low birth or rank" were both in Middle English Related: Humbly; humbleness.
Don't be so humble; you're not that great. [Golda Meir]
To eat humble pie (1830) is from umble pie (1640s), pie made from umbles "edible inner parts of an animal" (especially deer), considered a low-class food. The similar sense of similar-sounding words (the "h" of humble was not pronounced then) converged in the pun. Umbles, meanwhile, is Middle English numbles "offal" (with loss of n- through assimilation into preceding article).
humble
late 14c. in the intransitive sense of "to render oneself humble;" late 15c. in the transitive sense of "to lower (someone) in dignity;" see humble (adj.). Related: Humbled; humbling.
Idioms and Phrases with humbled
humble
see eat crow (humble pie).