Humble Definition and Meaning
By Fiza Rafique & Urooj Arif — Published on March 7, 2024
Humble refers to having or showing a modest or low estimate of one's own importance. e.g., Despite his achievements, he remained humble and approachable.
Table of Contents
Humble Definitions
Not proud or arrogant; modest.
She gave a humble speech after receiving the award.
Having a feeling of insignificance or inferiority.
The vastness of the universe can make one feel quite humble.
Showing deferential respect.
He gave a humble nod in acknowledgment of her expertise.
Low in rank, quality, or status; unpretentious.
They live in a humble apartment in the city.
Causing a loss of pride or dignity; humbling.
The team's defeat was a humble reminder of their limitations.
Lacking ostentation or grandeur; simple.
They preferred the humble charm of the countryside.
To lower in dignity or importance.
He was humbled by the critical feedback on his work.
Submissive or respectful out of recognition of one's role or limitations.
In her presence, he was always humble and polite.
Making oneself appear insignificant or inferior.
He humbled himself to ask for help.
Reflecting, expressing, or offered in a spirit of deference or submission.
Her humble request was met with generosity.
Marked by meekness or modesty in behavior, attitude, or spirit; not arrogant or prideful.
Showing deferential or submissive respect
A humble apology.
Low in rank, quality, or station; unpretentious or lowly
A humble cottage.
To cause to feel humble
"He was humbled by the lack of consolation in Kornblum's expression" (Michael Chabon).
To cause to have a lower condition or status; abase.
Not pretentious or magnificent; unpretending; unassuming.
He lives in a humble one-bedroom cottage.
Having a low opinion of oneself; not proud, arrogant, or assuming; modest.
(ambitransitive) To defeat or reduce the power, independence, or pride of
To make humble or lowly; to make less proud or arrogant; to make meek and submissive.
To hum.
Humbling and bumbling
(transitive) hummel.
An arrest based on weak evidence intended to demean or punish the subject.
Near the ground; not high or lofty; not pretentious or magnificent; unpretending; unassuming; as, a humble cottage.
THy humble nest built on the ground.
Thinking lowly of one's self; claiming little for one's self; not proud, arrogant, or assuming; thinking one's self ill-deserving or unworthy, when judged by the demands of God; lowly; waek; modest.
God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
She should be humble who would please.
Without a humble imitation of the divine Author of our . . . religion we can never hope to be a happy nation.
Hornless. See Hummel.
To bring low; to reduce the power, independence, or exaltation of; to lower; to abase; to humilate.
Here, take this purse, thou whom the heaven's plaguesHave humbled to all strokes.
The genius which humbled six marshals of France.
To make humble or lowly in mind; to abase the pride or arrogance of; to reduce the self-sufficiently of; to make meek and submissive; - often used rexlexively.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you.
Cause to be unpretentious;
This experience will humble him
Cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of;
He humiliated his colleague by criticising him in front of the boss
Low or inferior in station or quality;
A humble cottage
A lowly parish priest
A modest man of the people
Small beginnings
Marked by meekness or modesty; not arrogant or prideful;
A humble apology
Essentially humble...and self-effacing, he achieved the highest formal honors and distinctions
Used of unskilled work (especially domestic work)
Of low birth or station (`base' is archaic in this sense);
Baseborn wretches with dirty faces
Of humble (or lowly) birth
Humble Snonyms
Meek
Showing mildness or quietness of nature.
His meek demeanor belied his fierce determination.
Modest
Not bragging or boasting about oneself or one's achievements.
Despite her success, she remained modest about her accomplishments.
Demure
Reserved, modest, and shy.
Her demure nature made her well-liked by her peers.
Submissive
Ready to conform to the authority or will of others.
The submissive employee never voiced his own ideas.
Down-to-earth
Practical, realistic, and without pretension.
Her down-to-earth approach to problem-solving was highly effective.
Unassuming
Not pretentious or arrogant; modest.
The unassuming teacher was actually a well-respected expert in her field.
Lowly
Of low rank or status; humble in position.
He started his career in a lowly position and worked his way up.
Understated
Presented or expressed in a subtle and effective way.
Her understated elegance was apparent in her simple yet sophisticated attire.
Self-effacing
Not drawing attention to oneself; modest.
His self-effacing humor endeared him to many.
Respectful
Feeling or showing deference and respect.
She was always respectful towards her mentors.
Humble Idioms & Phrases
Eat humble pie
To apologize and face humiliation for a serious error.
After the mistake, he had to eat humble pie in front of his team.
A humble beginning
Starting from a low or modest level.
The billionaire's empire had a humble beginning, starting in a small garage.
The humble abode
A modest or simple home.
Welcome to my humble abode, feel free to make yourself comfortable.
To humble oneself
To act in a way that shows one does not think they are better than other people.
He humbled himself and apologized to the group.
Keep someone humble
To remind someone of their limitations or errors.
His coach always knew how to keep him humble, despite his many victories.
Humble servant
A way of referring to oneself in a very modest manner, often in the context of serving others.
I am but a humble servant of the community.
Humble beginnings lead to great endings
A saying that suggests starting modestly can lead to significant success.
Their small startup is proof that humble beginnings lead to great endings.
Humble brag
Boasting in a disguised manner, often by pretending modesty.
Her post was a classic humble brag about how she accidentally won the award.
From humble origins
Originating from a low or modest background.
Many successful people come from humble origins.
A humble heart
Describing someone who is genuinely modest and lacks arrogance.
Despite her fame, she has a humble heart.
A humble request
A polite and modest petition.
I have a humble request; could you please review my work?
Humble in defeat
Accepting loss gracefully without making excuses.
The team was humble in defeat, acknowledging the better performance of their opponents.
To stand humble
To present oneself modestly in the face of praise or success.
Even after the applause, she stood humble, thanking her team.
Born of humble stock
Originating from a modest or unprivileged family.
Born of humble stock, his rise to prominence was all the more impressive.
Humble pie tastes bitter
Acknowledging that admitting one's faults or errors is often unpleasant.
Having to admit he was wrong, he found that humble pie tastes bitter.
To take the humble route
Choosing a modest or unassuming course of action.
Instead of boasting, he took the humble route and let his work speak for itself.
To live a humble life
Leading a life characterized by simplicity and modesty.
They chose to live a humble life, despite their wealth.
In my humble opinion
A way to express one's opinion as not being definitive or arrogant.
In my humble opinion, we should reconsider our strategy.
Humble in victory
Being modest and not boastful after winning or succeeding.
She was humble in victory, crediting her team for the achievement.
Humble Example Sentences
The company had humble profits in its first year.
He shared stories of his humble upbringing during the interview.
They transformed their humble cottage into a cozy home.
She's always been humble about her contributions to the project.
Despite her achievements, she remained humble and focused.
Their wedding was a humble affair, attended only by close family and friends.
She made a humble request for assistance.
His humble nature made him well-liked by his colleagues.
The athlete stayed humble, even after winning the championship.
The teacher was a humble man who shunned the spotlight.
He came from a humble background but achieved great success.
They offered a humble apology for the misunderstanding.
Living a humble life taught him the value of simplicity.
His humble approach to leadership earned him respect.
The award winner gave a humble acceptance speech.
Common Curiosities
How is humble used in a sentence?
Humble is used to describe someone who does not think too highly of themselves and acknowledges their limitations.
Why is it called humble?
Humble is called so because it originates from the Latin word "humilis," meaning lowly or grounded, which reflects its association with modesty and lack of arrogance.
How do we divide humble into syllables?
Humble is divided into syllables as hum-ble.
How many syllables are in humble?
There are two syllables in humble.
What is a stressed syllable in humble?
The stressed syllable in humble is the first one, "hum."
What is the root word of humble?
The root word of humble is the Latin "humilis," meaning low or lowly.
What is the singular form of humble?
The singular form is "humble."
What is the verb form of humble?
The verb form of humble is "humble," as in to make someone less proud or to lower in dignity or importance.
What is the first form of humble?
The first form of humble is "humble," used as an adjective or a verb.
What is the third form of humble?
The third form of humble, in verb form, is also "humbled."
What part of speech is humble?
Humble can be both an adjective and a verb.
What is another term for humble?
Another term for humble is "modest."
What is the second form of humble?
The second form of humble, when used as a verb, is "humbled."
What is the opposite of humble?
The opposite of humble could be "arrogant" or "proud."
Is humble a vowel or consonant?
The word "humble" begins with a consonant.
Which vowel is used before humble?
The article "a" is used before humble because it starts with a consonant sound.
What is the pronunciation of humble?
Humble is pronounced as /ˈhʌmbəl/.
Is humble a countable noun?
Humble is not primarily used as a noun; as an adjective or verb, it does not have a countable form.
Is the humble term a metaphor?
Humble can be used metaphorically to describe actions or attitudes that reflect modesty or low self-importance.
Is the word humble imperative?
Humble can be used in an imperative form when used as a verb, e.g., "Humble yourself before asking for forgiveness."
Is the word humble Gerund?
Yes, when used as a verb, "humbling" is the gerund form.
Is humble an abstract noun?
No, humble is not an abstract noun; it's an adjective or a verb.
Is the word “humble” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
In a sentence, humble can be part of a verb phrase that acts upon a direct object, e.g., "The experience humbled him (direct object)."
Which article is used with humble?
Both "the" (definite article) and "a" (indefinite article) can be used with humble, depending on the context.
What is the plural form of humble?
Humble does not have a plural form when used as an adjective. As a verb, it does not change form for number.
Is humble a noun or adjective?
Humble is primarily an adjective, but it can also be used as a verb.
Is humble an adverb?
No, humble is not an adverb.
Is humble a negative or positive word?
Humble is generally considered a positive word, as it denotes modesty and a lack of arrogance.
Which determiner is used with humble?
Determiners such as "a," "the," "my," or "your" can be used with humble, depending on the context.
Which preposition is used with humble?
Prepositions such as "in," "with," and "by" can be used with humble, depending on the sentence, e.g., "humble in victory."
Is humble a collective noun?
No, humble is not a collective noun.
Which conjunction is used with humble?
Conjunctions like "and," "but," or "or" can be used in sentences involving the word humble.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
