1
: enduring injury with patience and without resentment : mild
a meek child dominated by his brothers
2
: deficient in spirit and courage : submissive
"I don't care," came the meek replyAnnetta Miller
3
: not violent or strong : moderate
his delivery varied from a meek, melodic patter to rapid-fire scriptural allusionsBob Trebilcock
meekly adverb

Examples of meek in a Sentence

a meek child dominated by his brothers She may seem meek and mild but it is all an act.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Even though Sunday night’s game devolved into a meek, 3-1 loss, the club is still eight wins from a potential World Series title with the hopes of a nation on their collective shoulders. Joe Kozlowski, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025 Doherty, 30, is playing meek flower shop assistant Seymour in the treasured musical, about a strange and unusual plant that feeds only on human flesh and blood. Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2025 What threatened to be a meek, straight-sets exit for the 13th seed went full-metal crazy on match point down when Bonzi was interrupted from serving it out after a photographer absent-mindedly walked onto the court. Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025 Social deficits can manifest as belligerent or meek. Tao Lin, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for meek

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse mjūkr gentle; akin to Welsh esmwyth soft

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of meek was in the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Meek.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meek. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

meek

adjective
1
: putting up with wrongs patiently and without complaint : mild
2
: lacking spirit or self-assurance : humble
meekly adverb
meekness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on meek

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!