modestly
Americanadverb
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reflecting a moderate or humble estimate of one’s merits, importance, etc.; not boastfully.
He modestly puts all of his success down to timing.
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in a way that is free from showy extravagance; not ostentatiously.
For a billionaire, he lives rather modestly in a home he bought decades ago.
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in a way that shows regard for decency in behavior, speech, dress, etc..
When visiting religious sites, avoid offense by dressing modestly: cover your shoulders, torsos, and thighs.
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within reasonable limits; moderately.
A modestly priced economy car may be more appropriate for your teenage driver.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of modestly
Explanation
To do something modestly is to do it in a humble way, without showing off. After her play's successful opening night, a playwright might choose to sit modestly in the audience rather than going on stage to bow. When you act in an unpretentious way, you act modestly, and when you do something in the simplest way possible, you also do it modestly. The adjective modest can mean both "humble" and "small." Modesty and modest come from the Latin modestia, "sense of honor," or "correctness of conduct," from the root word modus, "measure or manner."
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.
Micron releases a stellar fiscal fourth-quarter earnings report but the stock trades modestly lower.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
Stocks ended modestly lower after a worrying monthly survey of consumer confidence was offset by a Federal Reserve official cautioning against hasty rate hikes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
“Assuming even a modestly successful progression of Starship launches, Starlink capacity should be a non-issue.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026
Christian Eckerlin laughs modestly when asked if he feels he has contributed to Brighton's success.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
But long before the sound of their lowing and the sight of their preening, the building was leased to a Hungarian baker, modestly famous for his brioche and poppy-seed rolls.
From "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison
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.
