humbly
Americanadverb
-
in a way that is not proud or arrogant; modestly.
He humbly accepted the award on behalf of his friends and colleagues.
-
in a way that shows insignificance, inferiority, or subservience.
I made my suggestions humbly, realizing the vast experience of the others in the room.
-
in a respectfully courteous way.
I humbly request that you give us some time to discuss this privately.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of humbly
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.
To help you kick back, I’d humbly suggest:
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
That pocket of London has produced, if I may humbly put myself in that bracket, myself, but also Dev Patel, Jay Paul, Jay Sean and Jay Shetty.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026
Encouraging officials to vote their minds is an essential element of any plan to reassure voters that the Fed is acting deliberately and humbly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026
Donnelly said he then said: "Lewis, I humbly apologise...It's not often my phone takes calls from a seven time world champion."
From BBC ● Feb. 27, 2026
Carthage, South Dakota, population 274, is a sleepy little cluster of clapboard houses; tidy yards, and weathered brick storefronts rising humbly from the immensity of the northern plains, set adrift in time.
From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
