humble Definition
hum·ble (hum′bəl)
adjective -·bler, -·blest
- having or showing a consciousness of one's defects or shortcomings; not proud; not self-assertive; modest
- low in condition, rank, or position; lowly; unpretentious a humble home
Etymology: ME < OFr < L humilis, low, small, slight, akin to humus, soil, earth: see humus
transitive verb -·bled, -·bling
- to lower in condition, rank, or position; abase
- to lower in pride; make modest or humble in mind
humble Related Forms
humble Synonyms
humble
modif.
Meek
lowly, submissive, gentle, quiet, unassuming, diffident, simple, retiring, bashful, shy, timid, reserved, docile, deferential, backward, self-conscious, soft-spoken, coy, demure, blushing, sheepish, standoffish, mild, timorous, withdrawn, unpretentious, unobtrusive, hesitant, apprehensive, fearful, tentative, self-belittling, poor in spirit, tractable, sedate, unpretending, supplicatory, small, biddable, unpresuming, self-effacing, little, slavish, broken, ductile, obsequious, reverential, manageable, subservient, ordinary, unambitious, commonplace, free from pride, peaceful, placid, without arrogance, peaceable, obedient, passive, broken in spirit, tame, clement, restrained, enduring, stoic, yielding, stoical, acquiescent, unostentatious, unimportant, of little importance, of small importance, gentle as a lamb, meek-spirited, meek-hearted, low, unresisting, resigned, subdued, tolerant, content, compliant, underdogmatic*, mealy-mouthed*, Micawberish*, eating humble pie*; see also modest 2.Antonyms
proud*, haughty*, conceited. * Lowly
unpretentious, unassuming, modest, seemly, becoming, homespun, natural, plebeian, low, cringing, out-of-the-way, proletarian, servile, undistinguished, pitiful, sordid, shabby, underprivileged, meager, beggarly, log-cabin, commonplace, menial, unimportant, insignificant, small, poor, untouched, unvarnished, unaffected, rough, hard, severe, unpretending, earthborn, base, meek, little, of low birth, obscure, inferior, baseborn, mean, inglorious, low-ranking, plain, common, homely, ignoble, low in rank, of low rank, simple, lowbred, uncouth, ignominious, of mean parentage, measly, contemptible, miserable, scrubby, ordinary, inferior, puny, humdrum, poorish, trivial, ill-bred, petty, underbred, paltry, unequal, vulgar, unrefined, wretched, unfit. Antonyms
upper-class, noble*, privileged.
humble Synonyms
humble
v.
to humble is to lower the pride or increase the humility of oneself or another, and, unqualified, suggests that such lowering is deserved humbled by the frightening experience; to humiliate is to humble or shame another painfully and in public humiliated by their laughter; degrade literally means to lower in grade or rank, but it commonly implies a lowering or corrupting of moral character and self-respect; abase suggests a loss, often merely temporary and self-imposed, of dignity and respect he abased himself before his employer; debase implies a decline in value, quality, or character a debased mind
humble Usage Examples
Object
- defeat: SEVEN weeks ago Gresley Rovers ' promotion hopes looked in tatters following a humbling 5-2 home defeat by Woodley Sports.
- experience: It was a humbling experience at the excitement they have at us just spending time with them.
Modifies a noun
- beginning: We started from very humble beginnings with a youth worship event in our town.
- pie: An unscheduled lesson in physics for him, some humble pie for me.
- petition: The humble Petition of John Sleigh Esquire, late Mayor of Barwick upon Tweed, was this Day read.
- abode: We know how little there is to tempt anyone to our humble abode.
- opinion: In my humble opinion, his prose is the best I've ever read.
- servant: Your role is therefore to become their humble servant.
Modifying Another Word
- suitably: Suitably humbled, all David had left to offer was an old tin tray left over from Queen Victoria's Jubilee.
- truly: I've seen many a grown man truly humbled by my pole.
- relatively: The son of a railroad worker from Oswestry, he came from a relatively humble background.
- however: Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
- deeply: I am deeply humbled and extremely honored and grateful to be the recipient of this historic award.
- somewhat: Our reception from the crowd after the game was amazing if somewhat humbling.
Infinitive complement
admit: First let me be so humble as to admit I have never visited you forums before.
Used with adjective complement
- feel: He is like a sponge soaking up knowledge, he is always making me feel so humble in his company.
- stay: Can I give you this warning: stay humble.
- seem: However, apart from a few rehearsed lines, Tom Delonge actually seemed reasonably humble, which was a bit of a shock.
Preposition: in
Browse dictionary entries near humble
- ‹ Humberside
- ‹ Humber
- ‹ humanoid
- ‹ humanly
- ‹ humankind
- ‹ humanizing
- ‹ humanize
- ‹ humanity
- ‹ humanities
- ‹ humanitarianism
- humble pie ›
- humblebee ›
- humbly ›
- Humboldt ›
- Humboldt current ›
- humbug ›
- humdinger ›
- humdrum ›
- Hume ›
- humectant ›

