Word
modest
Meanings
Not too proud or not talking about your abilities and achievements in a showy way
Simple, not expensive, or not large in size
Not very great in amount, size, or effect; fairly small
Definition
Modest describes someone or something that is not proud or showy and does not claim too much attention.
If a person is modest, they do not talk about their achievements in a way that seems proud. Something can also be modest when it is simple or not expensive or large. In addition, a modest result or change is small rather than dramatic. The word often suggests being reasonable and not excessive.
Examples
- I felt proud of the project, but I tried to stay modest when people praised me.
- She is modest about her language skills, even though she speaks fluently.
- They made a modest improvement after changing their study routine.
- Our hotel room was modest, but it was clean and comfortable.
- He gave a modest answer and thanked the whole team for the success.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes use modest to mean “shy,” but modest usually refers to not being boastful or to something being simple/small.
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.