humble 1 of 2

1
as in meek
not having or showing any feelings of superiority, self-assertiveness, or showiness a medical scientist who remained remarkably humble even after winning the Nobel Prize even though she'd been proven wrong, her attitude was still far from humble

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2
3
as in servile
showing, expressing, or offered in a spirit of humility or unseemly submissiveness please accept my humble thanks for this unexpected favor

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humble

2 of 2

verb

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of humble
Adjective
Dance Theatre of Harlem Its origins are humble. Denny Lee, Travel + Leisure, 10 Oct. 2025 No, this was a war over the humble potato. Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
Little Penn would be awed and humbled. Sophie Ansari, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025 He’s never been humbled before. Leia Mendoza, Variety, 24 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for humble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for humble
Adjective
  • Pittsburgh averaged a meek 2.5 yards per carry, while the Pats chugged along at 3.4 yards on runs excluding Maye scrambles.
    Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 22 Sep. 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
Adjective
  • Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2025
  • For those looking to get ahead, the best career training might not come from a classroom or a corporate internship, but from a low-wage job in the service industry, says Jeetu Patel, now chief product officer at Cisco.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Bahrain is ruled by Sunnis and has a mostly Shiite population permanently restless over its servile condition.
    Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 13 June 2025
  • His servile defense secretary has threatened to deploy the military in other cities.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 13 June 2025
Verb
  • We were crushed, humiliated, and broken, after our city was destroyed, occupied and erased from existence.
    Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Alarr’s unwelcome physical touching made Plaintiff feel offended, uncomfortable, humiliated and intimidated.
    Lynette Rice, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Despite Cameroon being an oil-producing country that is experiencing modest economic growth, young people say the benefits have not trickled down beyond the elites.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2025
  • Diane was a true artist – tremendously gifted and uniquely talented in so many disciplines yet also modest and wonderfully eccentric.
    Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • By the end of the morning session, I had been turned down more times than a lowly high school sophomore trying to get a date for the prom.
    JJ Rosen, Nashville Tennessean, 9 Oct. 2025
  • The Knicks are entering this season with high championship aspirations, while the Bucks hope to avoid the play-in tournament and being part of the lowly Eastern Conference.
    Ricardo Klein, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • There will also be a slight pass given for not having Burrow, but let’s be real, this can’t be an abject disaster.
    The Athletic NFL Staff, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Ed Simon explores Americanism in Edgar Allan Poe’s work (and the abject horrors of being buried alive).
    Lit Hub Daily, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In the book, she's portrayed as someone suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and on anxiety medication, both of which are used to discredit her and paint her as unwell.
    Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Bullmer attempts to discredit her until Carrie, dressed as Anne, backs her up.
    Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Humble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humble. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.

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