Word forms: comparative humbler, superlative humblest, 3rd person singular presenttense humbles, present participle humbling, past tense, past participle humbled
1. adjective
A humble person is not proud and does not believe that they are better than other people.
He gave a great performance, but he was very humble.
Andy was a humble, courteous and gentle man.
...a humble apology.
Synonyms: modest, meek, unassuming, unpretentious More Synonyms of humble
humblyadverb [ADVERB with verb]
'I'm a lucky man, undeservedly lucky,' he said humbly.
2. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
People with low social status are sometimes described as humble.
Spyros Latsis started his career as a humble fisherman in the Aegean.
He came from a fairly humble, poor background.
Synonyms: lowly, common, poor, mean More Synonyms of humble
3. adjective
A humble place or thing is ordinary and not special in any way.
There are restaurants, both humble and expensive, that specialize in them.
Varndell made his own reflector for these shots from a strip of humble kitchen foil.
Synonyms: ordinary, common, commonplace More Synonyms of humble
4. adjective
People use humble in a phrase such as in my humble opinion as a polite way of emphasizing what they think, even though they do not feel humble about it.
[politeness]
It is, in my humble opinion, perhaps the best steak restaurant in Great Britain.
humblyadverb [ADVERB before verb]
So may I humbly suggest we all do something next time.
Synonyms: meekly, modestly, respectfully, cap in hand More Synonyms of humble
5.
See to eat humble pie
6. verb
If you humble someone who is more important or powerful than you, you defeat them easily.
...the little car company that humbled the industry giants. [VERB noun]
The fans could have cried as their team were humbled and humiliated in the firsthalf. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: humiliate, shame, disgrace, break More Synonyms of humble
7. verb
If something or someone humbles you, they make you realize that you are not as important or good as you thought you were.
Ted's words humbled me. [VERB noun]
I am sure millions of viewers were humbled by this story. [VERB noun]
humbledadjective
I came away very humbled and recognizing that I, for one, am not well-informed.
humblingadjective
Giving up an addiction is a humbling experience.
More Synonyms of humble
humble in British English
(ˈhʌmbəl)
adjective
1.
conscious of one's failings
2.
unpretentious; lowly
a humble cottage
my humble opinion
3.
deferential or servile
verb(transitive)
4.
to cause to become humble; humiliate
5.
to lower in status
Derived forms
humbled (ˈhumbled)
adjective
humbleness (ˈhumbleness)
noun
humbler (ˈhumbler)
noun
humbling (ˈhumbling)
adjective
humblingly (ˈhumblingly)
adverb
humbly (ˈhumbly)
adverb
Word origin
C13: from Old French, from Latin humilis low, from humus the ground
humble in American English
(ˈhʌmbəl)
adjectiveWord forms: ˈhumbler or ˈhumblest
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
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈhumbled or ˈhumbling
3.
to lower in condition, rank, or position; abase
4.
to lower in pride; make modest or humble in mind
SIMILAR WORDS: deˈgrade
Derived forms
humbleness (ˈhumbleness)
noun
humbler (ˈhumbler)
noun
humbly (ˈhumbly)
adverb
Word origin
ME < OFr < L humilis, low, small, slight, akin to humus, soil, earth: see humus2
More idioms containing
humble
eat humble pie
Examples of 'humble' in a sentence
humble
She especially wants to give more people from humble backgrounds a chance of climbing the social ladder.
The Sun (2016)
He was a humble man.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They're all very humble people, all looking to work hard.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It was a humbling experience for the England bowlers, but it is the batsmen who will have to exceed themselves.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Their poppy take on folk music is at its most stripped back on this humble little track.
The Sun (2016)
We must graciously serve one another in equally humble ways.
Christianity Today (2000)
The implications were instantly absorbed and a humbling apology was delivered.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
When did the humble bicycle become so stylish?
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
You feel very humbled and proud to be asked to come back.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
These humble people are frequently exploited by their selfish colleagues.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
In the old days presidents of humble background prided themselves on being born in log cabins.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In victory they were humble and in defeat superb.
The Sun (2012)
Once again they show their contempt for the humble working man and woman.
The Sun (2012)
Does it feel just a little bit humble?
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The humble gilet has become the wardrobe staple for a certain kind of woman.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
She proves that people with humble beginnings can rise high in the business world.
The Sun (2006)
It was one of the most humbling experiences of my life.
Jan Fennell, Foreword by Monty Roberts THE DOG LISTENER: Learning the Language of your Best Friend (2002)
He came from a very humble background but clawed his way to success.
The Sun (2014)
Education transformed his life, moving him far away from his humble beginnings.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
My father was very polite, humble and courteous and people respected him for that.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
If anything, the humbling defeat should serve notice that improvements are urgently required.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
A guy with real courage will be humble and walk away.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
I am very proud and humbled to work with these guys.
The Sun (2013)
This new freedom offers the opportunity of choice and was, in my humble opinion, worth fighting for.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Choose a white form if you want to add a bit more light to proceedings but, in my humble opinion, speckled purple is the best.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
humble
British English: humble /ˈhʌmbl/ ADJECTIVE
A humble person is not proud and does not believe that they are better than other people.
He gave a great performance, but he was very humble.
American English: humble
Arabic: مُتَوَاضِعٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: humilde
Chinese: 谦虚的
Croatian: skroman
Czech: pokorný
Danish: ydmyg
Dutch: bescheiden
European Spanish: humilde
Finnish: nöyrä
French: humble
German: bescheiden
Greek: ταπεινός
Italian: umile
Japanese: 謙虚な
Korean: 겸손한
Norwegian: ydmyk
Polish: skromny
European Portuguese: humilde
Romanian: umil
Russian: скромный
Latin American Spanish: humilde
Swedish: ödmjuk
Thai: ถ่อมตัว
Turkish: alçak gönüllü
Ukrainian: скромний
Vietnamese: khiêm tốn
British English: humble VERB
If you humble someone who is more important or powerful than you, you defeat them easily.
The company won fame as the little car company that humbled the industry giants.
American English: humble
Brazilian Portuguese: humilhar
Chinese: 轻易击败重要或强大对手
European Spanish: humillar
French: humilier
German: demütigen
Italian: umiliare
Japanese: 敗北させる
Korean: 제치다
European Portuguese: humilhar
Latin American Spanish: humillar
Chinese translation of 'humble'
humble
(ˈhʌmbl)
adj
(= modest)[person]谦(謙)虚(虛)的 (qiānxū de)
(= lowly)[background]卑贱(賤)的 (bēijiàn de)
vt
(= humiliate, crush) 使谦(謙)卑 (shǐ qiānbēi)
to humble sb's pride打掉某人的傲气(氣) (dǎdiào mǒurén de àoqì)
1 (adjective)
Definition
conscious of one's failings
Ashok was a humble, courteous and gentle man.
Synonyms
modest
He's modest, as well as being a great player.
meek
He was a meek, mild-mannered fellow.
unassuming
She has a gentle, unassuming manner.
unpretentious
The Tides Inn is both comfortable and unpretentious.
submissive
Most doctors want their patients to be submissive.
self-effacing
unostentatious
Opposites
lordly
,
proud
,
superior
,
vain
,
arrogant
,
pompous
,
pretentious
,
conceited
,
overbearing
,
haughty
,
ostentatious
,
snobbish
,
presumptuous
,
immodest
,
assuming
2 (adjective)
Definition
modest and unpretentious
He came from a fairly humble, poor background.
Synonyms
lowly
He started out as a lowly photographer.
common
She might be a little common at times, but she was certainly not boring.
poor
mean
southern opportunists of mean origins
low
a man of low birth and no breeding
simple
It was a simple home.
ordinary
The food here is cheap, but very ordinary.
modest
the modest home of a family who lived off the land
obscure
The hymn was written by an obscure Greek composer.
commonplace
insignificant
In 1949 it was still a small, insignificant city.
unimportant
It was an unimportant job, and paid very little.
unpretentious
undistinguished
his short and undistinguished career as an art student
plebeian
low-born
Opposites
important
,
rich
,
famous
,
high
,
significant
,
distinguished
,
superior
,
wealthy
,
elegant
,
glorious
,
aristocratic
3 (adjective)
Definition
ordinary or not very important
I made my own reflector from a strip of humble kitchen foil.
Synonyms
ordinary
My life seems pretty ordinary compared to yours.
common
Earthquakes are fairly common in this part of the world.
commonplace
The practice was virtually unheard of twenty years ago, but has now become commonplace.
4 (adjective)
Synonyms
servile
He was subservient and servile.
obliging
He was a most polite and obliging young man.
polite
He was a quiet and very polite young man.
respectful
He was always so polite and respectful.
courteous
He gave me a courteous but firm refusal.
subservient
He expects all the staff to be subservient to him.
deferential
stars who like five-star hotels and deferential treatment
obsequious
She is positively obsequious to anyone with a title.
(verb)
Definition
to cause to become humble
the little car company that humbled the industry giants
Synonyms
humiliate
His teacher continually humiliates him in maths lessons.
shame
Her son's behaviour had humiliated and shamed her.
disgrace
These soldiers have disgraced their regiment.
break
The newspapers can make or break you.
reduce
They wanted the army reduced to a police force.
lower
Don't lower yourself. Don't be the way they are.
sink
crush
Listen to criticism but don't be crushed by it.
put down (slang)
bring down
subdue
They admit they have not been able to subdue the rebels.
degrade
No-one should feel degraded at their place of work.
demean
All this talk of money just demeans us.
chagrin
chasten
He has clearly not been chastened by his punishment.
mortify
His dancing always mortified his friends.
debase
I won't debase myself by answering that question.
put (someone) in their place
abase
He made his courtiers abase themselves before him.
take down a peg (informal)
abash
Opposites
raise
,
elevate
,
magnify
,
exalt
phrasal verb
See humble yourself
Additional synonyms
in the sense of abase
He made his courtiers abase themselves before him.
Synonyms
humble,
reduce,
lower,
depress,
disgrace,
humiliate,
degrade,
downgrade,
demean,
denigrate,
demote,
belittle,
mortify,
debase,
dishonour,
cast down,
bring low,
put in your place
in the sense of break
Definition
to reduce to poverty or the state of bankruptcy
The newspapers can make or break you.
Synonyms
ruin,
destroy,
crush,
humiliate,
bring down,
bankrupt,
degrade,
impoverish,
demote,
make bankrupt,
bring to ruin
in the sense of chasten
Definition
to subdue (someone) by criticism
He has clearly not been chastened by his punishment.