Word
humble
Phoneticshum·ble, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈhəmbəɫ/
UK/hˈʌmbəl/
Definitions
01modest
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. not proud or not thinking that you are better than other people.
adj. having or showing a modest or low estimate of one's own importance.
日本語:謙虚※
“Despite his great success, he remained a humble man who always helped his neighbors.”
“The scientist was remarkably humble about her discovery, insisting that the credit belonged to the entire research collective rather than herself.”
Synonyms
02simple or low status
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. simple and not expensive; having a low social position.
adj. of low social, administrative, or political rank; simple and unpretentious in quality.
日本語:ささやか※
“He grew up in a humble home in a small fishing village.”
“The billionaire often spoke of his humble beginnings, working three jobs to pay for his first year of university tuition.”
03police harassment
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Law Slang · American English
n. an arrest made by police just to annoy or disrespect someone, even without good evidence.
n. an arrest made on weak or non-existent evidence, intended primarily to demean, punish, or exert control over the subject.
“The lawyer argued that the arrest was just a humble to keep his client off the street.”
“Civil rights advocates criticized the frequent use of the 'humble' as a tactic to intimidate local activists without filing formal charges.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “humble” in context.
Verb
01. humble the critics with success
“She managed to humble the critics with success that no one in the industry had anticipated.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
02. humble the ego of the leader
“Losing the election helped to humble the ego of the leader who thought he was invincible.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
03. seek to humble the arrogant
“The documentary seeks to humble the arrogant executives by exposing their past failures.”
verb + infinitive
04. try and humble the bully
“The students decided to try and humble the bully by outperforming him in the science fair.”
verb + and + verb
Adverb
05. deeply humble the opponent
“The underdog's unexpected victory served to deeply humble the opponent who had been boasting all week.”
adv + verb
06. humble the champion completely
“The newcomer managed to humble the champion completely in the first round of the tournament.”
verb + noun + adv
Usage
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object, typically a person or an abstract noun like 'pride'.
Pitfall
He was humble by the experience
He was humbled by the experience
When used as a verb in the passive voice, it requires the past participle ending '-ed'; learners often confuse the verb form with the adjective 'humble'.
Real-World Examples
“In public, Beard consistently adopted a humble attitude towards his success.” “A global symbol of parties and celebrations but an environmental headache, the humble balloon is undergoing a green revolution thanks to U.K.” “Now an international team thinks they’ve found it—or at least, part of it, thanks to the humble pond snail.” Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADVERB
Idioms
01. eat humble pie
02. humble pie
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0