: the quality or state of being meek : a mild, moderate, humble, or submissive quality
He is accomplished in the art of approaching strangers, donning an air of such meekness and respect that no one can believe for long that he's a cop. William Finnegan
His stance on Chinese trade has wavered to date between sheer intimidation on the campaign trail and meekness in actual negotiations. Sara Hsu

Examples of meekness in a Sentence

like most other things, meekness is best practiced in moderation
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Most disconcerting is the meekness of Washington’s supposedly stalwart European allies. Raphael Cohen, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2014 But to see Bass as a kumbaya leader — or to mistake her softness for meekness — is to fundamentally misunderstand her. Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of meekness was in the 13th century

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Cite this Entry

“Meekness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meekness. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

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