modest

modest — adjective

1. smaller or less costly than what is typical; not intended to impress through siz

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

smaller or less costly than what is typical; not intended to impress through size or expense.

Example

Lukas and his family live in a modest apartment near the city centre.

The restaurant charges modest prices for its excellent home-cooked meals.

collocation: modest prices / modest fees

Common collocations
  • modest income
  • modest house
  • modest apartment
  • modest meal
  • modest price
  • modest amount
  • modest salary
  • modest means
Synonyms
  • moderate

    more neutral; modest adds a slight sense of being unpretentious

  • reasonable

    focuses on price being fair and acceptable

  • humble

    more emotional or literary, often describing a home or background

  • unpretentious

    less common; emphasises not trying to appear impressive

Antonyms
  • extravagant

    spending or costing far more than necessary

  • lavish

    large in amount and expensive in a showy way

  • excessive

    more than is reasonable or necessary

Grammar Patterns

modest + noun

verb + modest

Common Mistakes

The apartment was a very modest price.
The apartment was a very reasonable price.
'Modest' describes the price as low, but it is not typically used with intensifiers like 'very' in this pattern.

2. not boastful about one's own skills, achievements, or possessions; tending to av

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

not boastful about one's own skills, achievements, or possessions; tending to avoid drawing attention to oneself.

Example

Even after winning the national competition, Christopher remained modest about his talent.

remain + modest + about [something]

Hui is too modest to tell anyone about the scholarship she received.

Common collocations
  • modest about
  • surprisingly modest
  • remain modest
  • characteristically modest
  • too modest to
Synonyms
  • humble

    stronger; often implies low social position or self-abasement

  • unassuming

    natural and quiet, not trying to impress

  • self-effacing

    more formal; actively downplays one's own importance

Antonyms
  • boastful

    frequently talking about one's own achievements

  • arrogant

    having an exaggerated sense of one's own importance

  • conceited

    too proud of oneself and one's abilities

Grammar Patterns

be + modest

remain + modest

modest + about + noun/gerund

Usage Note

Commonly followed by 'about' + noun or gerund to specify what someone avoids boasting about (e.g., 'modest about her achievements', 'modest about winning').

Common Mistakes

She is modest to her success.
She is modest about her success.
The correct preposition after 'modest' in this sense is 'about,' not 'to.'
He is a modest and humble person — he brags all the time.
He is a modest person who rarely talks about himself.
A modest person does not brag, so the original sentence is self-contradictory.

3. designed or chosen so as not to reveal the body or arouse sexual interest; not s

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

designed or chosen so as not to reveal the body or arouse sexual interest; not sexually suggestive.

Example

For the wedding, Dario wore a modest suit that covered his arms and legs.

modest suit / modest clothing (body-covering)

Hamza's sister prefers modest clothing and does not wear short skirts.

Common collocations
  • modest dress
  • modest clothing
  • modest swimsuit
  • modest behaviour
  • modest outfit
  • keep modest
Synonyms
  • decent

    less formal; focuses on basic coverage

  • conservative

    emphasises traditional standards of dress

  • proper

    focuses on social acceptability of appearance

Antonyms
  • revealing

    showing much of the body

  • provocative

    intended to cause sexual interest

  • immodest

    the direct opposite; failing to meet standards of decency

Grammar Patterns

modest + noun (clothing, behaviour)

Usage Note

Typically used before nouns referring to clothing (dress, skirt, swimsuit, outfit) or appearance. Less commonly used for behaviour, where 'proper' or 'decorous' may be more natural in non-religious contexts.

Common Mistakes

He wore a modest suit to the job interview.' (when meaning 'formal and not flashy')
He wore a conservative suit to the job interview.
For professional or formal attire that is simply not bold or flashy, 'conservative' is more natural than 'modest.'

Word family

  • modestly
    adverbB1
  • modesty
    nounB2
  • immodest
    adjectiveC1
  • immodestly
    adverbC1
  • immodesty
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/2

All four words describe people who do not draw excessive attention to themselves, but they differ in tone and scope. 'Modest' is the most general and positive term — it suggests a natural, healthy lack of boastfulness without implying low self-worth. 'Humble' is stronger and more socially or emotionally charged; it often carries a sense of low social standing or deliberate self-abasement ('a humble servant'). 'Unassuming' is purely about outward manner — a person who is quiet and does not try to impress, without any implication about inner feelings. 'Self-effacing' is the most formal and active: it describes someone who deliberately downplays or dismisses their own contributions ('the professor was characteristically self-effacing about her Nobel Prize'). In everyday conversation, use 'modest' for general praise of someone's character, 'humble' when background or status is relevant, 'unassuming' for a neutral observation of behaviour, and 'self-effacing' only in more formal or literary contexts.

humble ↗unassumingself-effacingmodest ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • quite modest
  • very modest
  • relatively modest
  • surprisingly modest
  • fairly modest

Prepositions

  • modest in
  • modest about

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Modest entered English in the mid-1500s from French 'modeste,' which came from Latin 'modestus' meaning 'keeping within measure' or 'moderate.' The Latin root 'modus' means 'measure' or 'limit.' The sense of 'not boastful' emerged in the late 1500s, and the specific meaning of 'decorous, not sexually provocative' developed in the 1800s as social norms around dress and behaviour became more codified.