- present participle of humble.
humbling
Americanadjective
-
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.
-
lowering a person’s status, power, dignity, confidence, etc..
The 26:2 vote in favor of their opponents was indeed a humbling defeat.
noun
Other Word Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“I don’t have shame about the fact that it’s been hard. I have never met a more humbling experience,” she said with an outsize emphasis on “never.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
"Honestly, I've never known anything like it. You just do your job and don't think anything of it, but it's humbling," she said.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
Speaking to reporters after the game, coach Matt LaFleur called it “a humbling night.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
It was humbling to see how the AI got my friend to open up in a way that I hadn’t, and I recognized that its questions were much more helpful than my answers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026
For a writer, there’s nothing more humbling than to be at a loss for words.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
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