meekly
Americanadverb
-
in a humbly patient or quiet manner.
When addressing a lawyer during oral arguments, the judge often starts meekly with, "Counsel, may I interrupt?"
-
in an overly submissive or compliant manner.
Not knowing what we were getting into, we meekly agreed.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of meekly
Explanation
Do something in a shy, self-effacing way, and you're doing it meekly. While some students argue with a teacher over a bad grade, others simply accept it meekly. Aggressive dogs growl menacingly at strangers, but submissive dogs bow their heads and meekly wag their tails. If you're very reserved, you might find it hard to speak up for yourself, tending instead to listen meekly to what others say without offering your own opinion. The adverb meekly, along with the related adjective meek, has a Scandinavian root — it's related to the Old Norse mjukr, "soft and pliant."
Vocabulary lists containing meekly
Where You See Yourself
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Max Einstein: The Genius Experiment
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The Sunbearer Trials
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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.
One board member raised her hand meekly; the rest of the board sat in an awkward silence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026
"There seems to have been an unwritten convention that if victims meekly surrendered their valuables, they deserved at least a small favor," he says.
From Science Daily ● May 7, 2026
After surrendering meekly in their opening two matches against China and South Korea, few fancied Rebecca Morrison's rink to right the wrongs against the world champions.
From BBC ● Feb. 14, 2026
“That’s what the doctor says,” Ray J replied meekly, then seemingly grew frustrated as his friend talked loudly over him and insisted he was going to live long enough to see his children’s children.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 28, 2026
Seated in the chair, I asked meekly: “What are you going to do, sir?”
From "Night" by Elie Wiesel
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.
