adjective
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patient, long-suffering, or submissive in disposition or nature; humble
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spineless or spiritless; compliant
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an obsolete word for gentle
Usage
What does meek mean? When used in a positive way, meek describes someone who shows patient restraint. When used negatively, it means overly submissive.The positive sense of meek implies that someone is able to remain calm and subdued even when being provoked. Its negative use is perhaps more common, and is intended to indicate that someone is being too passive. The word meek is often associated with Christian virtues due to its use in a well-known Bible passage.Example: I know you’re naturally reserved, but you can’t be so meek during job interviews.
Related Words
See gentle.
Other Word Forms
- meekly adverb
- meekness noun
- overmeek adjective
Etymology
Origin of meek
First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English meke, meoc, from Old Norse mjūkr “soft, mild, meek”
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.
There’s a single-panel comic by the artist Paul Noth that pokes fun at researchers’ meek attempts.
From Slate • Jan. 30, 2026
Initially seen as meek and even-tempered, the layers have been pulled back to show something different.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 19, 2025
A stunned England woke Sunday to savage criticism after their meek capitulation in the first Ashes Test, branded "brainless" and "damaged" by former greats after their cavalier approach backfired.
From Barron's • Nov. 23, 2025
Like the running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain, the momentum of markets can run over the weak and meek disbelievers as we climb that wall of worry.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 2, 2025
Not the meek peep of a wren chick.
From "Wishtree" by Katherine Applegate
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.
