HUMBLE
Dictionary entry overview: What does humble mean?
• HUMBLE (adjective)
The adjective HUMBLE has 4 senses:
1. low or inferior in station or quality
2. marked by meekness or modesty; not arrogant or prideful
3. used of unskilled work (especially domestic work)
4. of low birth or station ('base' is archaic in this sense)
Familiarity information: HUMBLE used as an adjective is uncommon.
• HUMBLE (verb)
The verb HUMBLE has 2 senses:
1. cause to be unpretentious
2. cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of
Familiarity information: HUMBLE used as a verb is rare.
Dictionary entry details
• HUMBLE (adjective)
Meaning:
Low or inferior in station or quality
Synonyms:
lowly; humble; small; modest; low
Context examples:
a humble cottage / a lowly parish priest / a modest man of the people / small beginnings
Similar:
inferior (of or characteristic of low rank or importance)
Meaning:
Marked by meekness or modesty; not arrogant or prideful
Context examples:
a humble apology / essentially humble...and self-effacing, he achieved the highest formal honors and distinctions
Similar:
broken; crushed; humbled; humiliated; low (subdued or brought low in condition or status)
meek; mild; modest (humble in spirit or manner; suggesting retiring mildness or even cowed submissiveness)
Also:
modest (marked by simplicity; having a humble opinion of yourself)
Attribute:
humbleness; humility (a disposition to be humble; a lack of false pride)
Antonym:
proud (feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride)
Meaning:
Used of unskilled work (especially domestic work)
Synonyms:
menial; humble; lowly
Similar:
unskilled (not having or showing or requiring special skill or proficiency)
Meaning:
Of low birth or station ('base' is archaic in this sense)
Synonyms:
baseborn; base; lowly; humble
Context examples:
baseborn wretches with dirty faces / of humble (or lowly) birth
Similar:
lowborn (of humble birth or origins)
• HUMBLE (verb)
Meaning:
Cause to be unpretentious
Classified under:
Verbs of feeling
Context example:
This experience will humble him
Hypernyms (to "humble" is one way to...):
alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "humble"):
efface (make inconspicuous)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Meaning:
Cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of
Classified under:
Verbs of feeling
Synonyms:
abase; chagrin; humiliate; humble; mortify
Context example:
He humiliated his colleague by criticising him in front of the boss
Hypernyms (to "humble" is one way to...):
bruise; hurt; injure; offend; spite; wound (hurt the feelings of)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "humble"):
crush; demolish; smash (humiliate or depress completely)
degrade; demean; disgrace; put down; take down (reduce in worth or character, usually verbally)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Sentence example:
Sam cannot humble Sue
