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humble Definition

hum·ble (hum′bəl)

adjective -·bler, -·blest

  1. having or showing a consciousness of one's defects or shortcomings; not proud; not self-assertive; modest
  2. 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

  1. to lower in condition, rank, or position; abase
  2. to lower in pride; make modest or humble in mind

humble Related Forms

hum′·ble·ness noun hum′·bler noun hum′·bly adverb

humble Synonyms

humble

modif.

  1. 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deferential, backward, self-conscious, soft-spoken, coy, demure, blushing, sheepish, standoffish, mild, timorous, withdrawn, unpretentious, unobtrusive, hesitant, apprehensive, fearful, tentative, self-belittling, poor in spirit, tractable, sedate, unpretending, supplicatory, small,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. *

  2. 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.

shame, mortify, chasten, demean (oneself), demote, lower, crush, abash, hide one's face, bring low, put to shame, silence, reduce, humiliate, degrade, overcome, strike dumb, take down, put down, pull down, bring down, override, snub, confuse, discredit, deflate, upset, abase, make ashamed, put out of countenance, confound, deny, discomfit, take down a peg*, pull one off one's high horse*, put down*, squelch*, squash*, hide one's light under a bushel*, kiss the rod*; see also disgrace, embarrass 1.

Antonyms exalt, praise*, glorify.

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

  • heart: The Servant of the Lord is going to be, as we heard in chapter 11.29: gentle and humble in heart.
  • presence: It is significant that unlike some other Muslim cultures, the Ottoman tomb is deliberately humbled in the presence of the mosque.

Browse dictionary entries near humble

  1. ‹ Humberside
  2. ‹ Humber
  3. ‹ humanoid
  4. ‹ humanly
  5. ‹ humankind
  6. ‹ humanizing
  7. ‹ humanize
  8. ‹ humanity
  9. ‹ humanities
  10. ‹ humanitarianism
  1. humble pie ›
  2. humblebee ›
  3. humbly ›
  4. Humboldt ›
  5. Humboldt current ›
  6. humbug ›
  7. humdinger ›
  8. humdrum ›
  9. Hume ›
  10. humectant ›