Word
humbled
Phoneticshum·bled
US/ˈhəmbəɫd/
UK/hˈʌmbəld/
Definition
adj. feeling less proud or important because of something that happened. You often feel this way when you receive a great honor or realize you have made a mistake.
adj. feeling or showing a modest or low estimate of one's own importance. Often used predicatively to describe a state of mind following a significant achievement or a profound realization of one's limitations.
Examples
“I feel humbled by your kind words.”
“The champion athlete said she felt humbled to receive such a prestigious award from her childhood hero.”
“Standing before the vast expanse of the Grand Canyon, the travelers felt humbled by the sheer scale of the natural world compared to their own brief lives.”
Examples
simple
“I feel humbled by your kind words.”
contextual
“The champion athlete said she felt humbled to receive such a prestigious award from her childhood hero.”
complex
“Standing before the vast expanse of the Grand Canyon, the travelers felt humbled by the sheer scale of the natural world compared to their own brief lives.”
Usage
Participial adjective; typically follows linking verbs like 'feel', 'be', or 'remain'.
Pitfall
He was humble by the news
He was humbled by the news
Learners often use the base adjective 'humble' when they should use the participial form 'humbled' to describe the result of an event.
Real-World Examples
“Atletico were humbled 3-0 by Athletic Bilbao on Saturday to cap an underwhelming start to the season by Diego Simeone’s men.” “Hakainde Hichilema says he was “truly humbled” by the victory and promised to work for all Zambians.”