Words / B2

HUMBL/ˈhʌmbl/

Humble means not proud, or simple in status: humble origins; a humble apology. Modest is close; arrogant is an opposite. Stay humble in the evaluation. As a verb: the result humbled them. Do not fake humility in a boastful paragraph. Mix-up: humiliate (separate academic word elsewhere).

Meaning

Not proud; also simple or poor in status (humble origins).

Examples

• “Stay humble in the evaluation: admit the sample is small.”
• “He spoke of humble origins, which is the status sense in profiles.”

Good to know

humble origins; a humble apology; in my humble opinion (set, often ironic). Close: modest. Verb: humble. Evaluations and biographies.

Near in meaning

modest

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