modestly

American  

[mod-ist-lee] / ˈmɒd ɪst li /

adverb

1. reflecting a moderate or humble estimate of one’s merits, importance, etc.; not boastfully.

   He modestly puts all of his success down to timing.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. within reasonable limits; moderately.

   A modestly priced economy car may be more appropriate for your teenage driver.

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Other Word Forms

• hypermodestly adverb
• overmodestly adverb
• pseudomodestly adverb
• quasi-modestly adverb
• supermodestly adverb
• unmodestly adverb

Etymology

Origin of modestly

modest ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

But Paulson said she could favor cutting rates modestly later this year, either after inflation data validate her expectation that price pressures are easing or if evidence emerges that job-market conditions are deteriorating unexpectedly.

From The Wall Street Journal

China’s consumer inflation picked up modestly in December, while factory-gate prices remained in contraction.

From The Wall Street Journal

The eurozone’s saving rate fell in the third quarter of last year, helping support the economy as spending modestly recovered.

From The Wall Street Journal

Meanwhile, management expects rare earths prices to remain stable or modestly rise during the year, noting that they believe costs are manageable.

From The Wall Street Journal

The analyst anticipates a modestly higher net interest margin, growth in net interest revenue, an improving efficiency ratio, capital deployment and U.S. balance sheet optimization will help drive the bank this fiscal year.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• humbly
• plainly
• quietly
• simply