humble

humble — adjective

1. someone who is humble does not think they are better or more important than othe

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

someone who is humble does not think they are better or more important than other people, and does not show off their achievements or abilities.

Example

Aoi is a world-famous scientist, but she stays humble and always listens to her students.

stays humble + listens to others

The mayor gave a humble speech, thanking her team instead of taking the credit herself.

Common collocations
  • humble attitude
  • stay humble
  • humble person
  • humble enough to
  • humble opinion
Synonyms
  • modest

    the closest synonym; modest focuses more on not exaggerating one's abilities

  • unassuming

    suggests a quiet, gentle nature without trying to attract attention

  • meek

    has a more negative tone of passive obedience; can imply weakness

  • self-effacing

    describes someone who deliberately avoids being noticed or credited

Antonyms
  • arrogant

    the direct opposite — someone who thinks they are better than others

  • proud

    in a negative sense, someone who refuses to admit their limitations

  • conceited

    someone who is too proud of their own abilities or appearance

Usage Note

The fixed expression 'in my humble opinion' (often shortened to IMHO online) is used to politely introduce a personal view, though it can sometimes sound insincere.

Common Mistakes

He is a humble person with very low self-esteem.
He is a humble person who does not show off his achievements.
Humble describes modesty, not a lack of confidence or low self-worth.

2. having a low social position or coming from a poor family or background.

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

having a low social position or coming from a poor family or background.

Example

Ilán grew up in a humble home but later became a successful architect.

humble home / humble beginnings

The professor never forgot his humble beginnings in a small farming village.

Common collocations
  • humble origins
  • humble beginnings
  • humble background
  • humble home
  • humble birth
Synonyms
  • lowly

    formal and somewhat old-fashioned; can sound negative

  • modest

    can mean 'not large or expensive' when describing backgrounds

  • poor

    more direct and neutral, but lacks the social-rank dimension

Antonyms
  • noble

    belonging to a high social rank by birth

  • wealthy

    having a lot of money; opposite of poor background

Usage Note

Commonly used in fixed phrases such as 'humble origins', 'humble beginnings', and 'humble background' to describe someone's early life circumstances, often followed by a contrasting success story.

Common Mistakes

He comes from a humble family in a rich neighborhood.
He comes from a humble background in a small farming village.
'Humble' here describes low social or economic status, not a mix of statuses.

3. simple in size, cost, or importance; not impressive, costly, or remarkable.

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

simple in size, cost, or importance; not impressive, costly, or remarkable.

Example

The family lives in a humble two-bedroom apartment near the market.

humble [noun] — describing a simple dwelling

My grandfather left behind only a humble collection of old books.

Common collocations
  • humble home
  • humble meal
  • humble ceremony
  • humble donation
  • humble shop
Synonyms
  • modest

    very close in meaning; often interchangeable

  • unpretentious

    not trying to seem more important or impressive than it is

  • simple

    plain and not complicated; more neutral than 'humble'

Antonyms
  • grand

    large and impressive in size or appearance

  • luxurious

    very expensive and comfortable

  • lavish

    large in amount or expensive; more than necessary

Usage Note

Unlike sense 2 (LOW RANK), this sense describes things (buildings, meals, gifts, ceremonies) rather than people. It often carries a gentle, appreciative tone — suggesting charm in simplicity.

Common Mistakes

The food was very humble — just bread and water.
The meal was a humble dish of rice and vegetables.
In this sense, 'humble' suggests simplicity rather than poor quality; avoid pairing it with negative descriptors.
Idioms

eat humble pie

idiom

to admit that you were wrong and apologize, especially in a situation where this is embarrassing or uncomfortable.

After insisting he was right for weeks, Brian had to eat humble pie when the evidence proved him wrong.

The company's CEO ate humble pie and publicly apologized for the faulty product.

humble — verb

Word family

  • humbly
    adverbB2
  • humility
    nounB2
  • humbleness
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Humble and modest both describe someone who does not boast or think too highly of themselves, but modest often refers specifically to not exaggerating one's own abilities ('She was modest about her exam results'). Unassuming suggests a quiet, gentle nature that does not try to draw attention ('A quiet, unassuming librarian'). Meek carries a more negative tone — it implies passive obedience and a lack of assertiveness, sometimes to a fault ('Too meek to complain about poor service'). Self-effacing describes someone who deliberately avoids being noticed or credited, especially in social settings ('A self-effacing comedian who always praises his writing team'). In everyday use, humble has stronger moral weight — it describes a virtue of recognizing one's limits and treating others as equals, while modest is more neutral and commonly used for polite self-presentation. For example: 'He was humble enough to admit his mistake' (a moral choice) vs. 'She was modest about her award' (polite behavior).

modest ↗unassumingmeekself-effacing

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • humbly

Phrases

  • in my humble opinion

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Humble entered English through Old French (humble, earlier humele), from Latin humilis meaning 'lowly, on the ground'. Humilis itself comes from humus, the Latin word for 'ground' or 'earth'. This origin explains both main threads of meaning: being 'close to the ground' in social rank (humble origins) and in personal attitude (a humble person), as opposed to being elevated in pride or status.