adj. 1 modest, reserved, unpretentious, unostentatious, self-effacing, unassuming, unpresuming For someone who has accomplished so much, she is quite humble 2 submissive, meek, servile, obsequious, deferential, mild, respectful, subservient, subdued Usually pompous, Nigel became humble in the presence of the chairman 3 lowly, low, inferior, mean, ignoble, ordinary, plebeian, common, simple, obscure, unprepossessing, unimportant, undistinguished, insignificant; low-born, base, base-born He lives in a humble cottage Though she came from a humble background, she rose to become prime minister.
v. 4 chasten, bring or pull down, subdue, abase, debase, demean, lower, degrade, downgrade, reduce, make (someone) eat humble pie, lose face, shame, humiliate, crush, break, mortify, chagrin, Colloq put down, take (someone) down a peg or notch He found army discipline a humbling experience