Word
humble
Meanings
Not proud; not believing you are better or more important than other people.
Simple and not expensive; modest in size or status.
Making someone realize they are not as important or skilled as they thought; causing a reduction in pride.
Definition
Humble means not proud or not thinking you are more important than others.
If someone is humble, they do not brag about their achievements and they treat other people with respect. It often shows in how they speak about success and how they listen to others. The word can also describe simple living conditions or a modest beginning.
Examples
- Even after winning the award, she stayed humble and thanked the whole team.
- I try to remain humble when I get praise, because I know I still have a lot to learn.
- The coach told him to be humble after the loss and focus on training.
- They were humble about their success and avoided talking about money at dinner.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes use "humble" to mean "humiliated," but "humble" usually means modest (while "humiliated" means deeply embarrassed).
More at B2 level
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- agnostic An agnostic is someone who does not claim to know whether God exists.
More adjectives
- agnostic An agnostic is someone who does not claim to know whether God exists.
- pragmatic Pragmatic means focused on practical results rather than ideals or theories.
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- cynical Cynical describes believing that people are mainly motivated by self-interest and not sincere.
- apathetic Apathetic means showing little or no interest, concern, or enthusiasm.