- 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.
What a strange and humbling thing that the course of human history has been repeatedly upended by this singular pathogen.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
Sarina Wiegman says her "hurt" England side need setbacks like their humbling defeat by Spain in order to improve.
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026
It’s not merely trendy psychologizing to salute the qualities of a sturdy tree: a humbling reminder of time’s immensity, but also a living embodiment of shelter, change and growth.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2026
For a player of Koepka’s stature, it’s a humbling place to be, having reached the sport’s peak but now needing to start from the bottom on Tour.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026
Conversely, few single moments were more humbling than to have that black shirt taken away and given to someone else.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
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.
