humble

[ huhm-buhl, uhm- ]

/ ˈhʌm bəl, ˈʌm- /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR humble ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, hum·bler, hum·blest.

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.

verb (used with object), hum·bled, hum·bling.

to lower in condition, importance, or dignity; abase.

to destroy the independence, power, or will of.

to make meek: to humble one's heart.

Nearby words

Origin of humble

1200–50; Middle English (h)umble < Old French < Latin humilis lowly, insignificant, on the ground. See humus, -ile

SYNONYMS FOR humble

1. unpretending, unpretentious. 2. submissive, meek. 3. unassuming, plain, common, poor. 4. polite. 6. mortify, shame, abash. 7. subdue, crush, break.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR humble ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR humble

1, 2. proud. 3. noble, exalted. 4. rude, insolent. 6. elevate. 8. exalt.

SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR humble ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

hum·ble·ness, nounhum·bler, nounhum·bling·ly, adverbhum·bly, adverb

o·ver·hum·ble, adjectiveo·ver·hum·ble·ness, nouno·ver·hum·b·ly, adverbqua·si-hum·ble, adjectivequa·si-hum·b·ly, adverbself-hum·bling, adjectiveun·hum·ble, adjectiveun·hum·ble·ness, nounun·hum·b·ly, adverbun·hum·bled, adjective

Synonym study

7. Humble, degrade, humiliate suggest lowering or causing to seem lower. To humble is to bring down the pride of another or to reduce him or her to a state of abasement: to humble an arrogant enemy. To degrade is to demote in rank or standing, or to reduce to a low level in dignity: to degrade an officer; to degrade oneself by lying. To humiliate is to make others feel or appear inadequate or unworthy, especially in some public setting: to humiliate a sensitive person.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for humbly

And much of it, unlike Pappy, is right there on the shelf, humbly, quietly waiting to be tried.
The Cult of Pappy van Winkle|Eric Felten|December 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In his Twitter handle Spencer now humbly refers to himself as an “international thought criminal.”
A Racist’s Crazy Ski Resort Smackdown|James Kirchick|October 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
To any other journalists interested in following up on our mission, I humbly offer one piece of advice.
My Search for the Taliban Five|Josh Rogin|June 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He has insisted on living as simply and humbly as a pope can.
Pope Francis Has Done Penance for His Lapse of Courage in Argentina|Michael Daly|March 19, 2013|DAILY BEAST

But I humbly suggest that there are some matters on which there should not a statute of limitations.
Michael Tomasky: Time for Ron Paul to Fully Answer Racism Charges|Michael Tomasky|December 23, 2011|DAILY BEAST
And so showing her handfuls of Gold and Silver, he humbly intreated a Reconciliation betwixt 'em.
The Notorious Impostor and Diego Redivivus|Elkanah Settle
I humbly prayed to be allowed to step between you and your uncle's avarice; but you would not.
Hatchie, the Guardian Slave; or, The Heiress of Bellevue|Warren T. Ashton
I humbly petition your Majesty to be pleased to order that he be despatched here, so that this so urgent need may be supplied.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
He sought to avert his impending fate and humbly implored her forgiveness; but Throigne had not the generosity to save him.
Female Warriors, Vol. II (of 2)|Ellen C. Clayton
I can tell you that fellow felt happy, downright happy when he saw how humbly I listened to him.
The Shuttle|Frances Hodgson Burnett

British Dictionary definitions for humbly

humble

/ (ˈhʌmbəl) /

adjective

conscious of one's failings

unpretentious; lowlya humble cottage; my humble opinion

deferential or servile

verb (tr)

to cause to become humble; humiliate

to lower in status

Derived Forms

humbled, adjectivehumbleness, nounhumbler, nounhumbling, adjective

humblingly, adverbhumbly, adverb

Word Origin for humble

C13: from Old French, from Latin humilis low, from humus the ground

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for humbly

humble

adj.

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 humbly

humble

see eat crow (humble pie).

humble

adjective, hum·bler, hum·blest.

verb (used with object), hum·bled, hum·bling.

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Origin of humble

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Examples from the Web for humbly

humble

adjective

verb (tr)

Word Origin for humble

humble

humble

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