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

In other words, the U.S. will have modestly slower growth but no recession.

From The Wall Street Journal

For the eighth consecutive month, inflation outpaced national home price appreciation, with CPI running 1.5 percentage points above the 0.9% annual gain-leaving real home values modestly lower year over year, the survey said.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Bank of Canada projects that the economy will grow modestly as it adjusts to U.S. tariffs and trade policy uncertainty, though policymakers have said near-term economic growth is likely to be weaker than anticipated.

From The Wall Street Journal

The daughter of a traveling salesman, Flores grew up modestly in the cinder block hills of Catia, a hardscrabble district of western Caracas.

From The Wall Street Journal

An extended gradual decay also might sometimes allow for modestly positive news such as the data that garnered so much excitement this week.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• humbly
• plainly
• quietly
• simply