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.
The push to expand head count, at least modestly, is a reversal from the prevailing corporate messaging during much of the AI era.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
The pace of inflation cooled in June as energy prices declined during the temporary ceasefire and Americans showed a modestly improved mood about the economy earlier this month.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
That’s especially true if she lives modestly and may need the money one day for unforeseen costs like a major home repair or medical bills.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026
We lived modestly, and he knows he can’t take anything he saved with him when he dies.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026
She was smiling and her eyes were modestly lowered, ready for a compliment.
From "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" by E.L. Konigsburg
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.
