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as in humble
not having or showing any feelings of superiority, self-assertiveness, or showiness appealingly modest about her success in the fashion industry

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word modest distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of modest are chaste, decent, and pure. While all these words mean "free from all taint of what is lewd or salacious," modest and decent apply especially to deportment and dress as outward signs of inward chastity or purity.

preferred more modest swimsuits
decent people didn't go to such movies

When is it sensible to use chaste instead of modest?

While the synonyms chaste and modest are close in meaning, chaste primarily implies a refraining from acts or even thoughts or desires that are not virginal or not sanctioned by marriage vows.

they maintained chaste relations

How do pure and chaste relate to one another, in the sense of modest?

Pure differs from chaste in implying innocence and absence of temptation rather than control of one's impulses and actions.

the pure of heart

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of modest That said, Minnesota opened the series with a big 12-6 win on Friday, highlighted by Trevor Larnach's grand slam despite a modest 1-for-4 night at the plate. Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025 After modest parts in 2022’s On the Come Up and The Inhabitant, a character as resonant as Justin marks his first leading role is an additional gift, Cooper says. Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 31 May 2025 Ever modest, Babb, 70, opened his postgame news conference by directing attention to his players. Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 31 May 2025 Inter have used modest talent acquisition while fanning the last embers of ageing veterans to consistently cobble together rosters that compete for trophies across Europe. Brett Koremenos, New York Times, 30 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for modest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for modest
Adjective
  • For the contiguous United States, on average, July is the hottest month of the year.
    Dan Peck, ABC News, 3 June 2025
  • When psychologists and researchers began tracking attention spans in 2004, the average attention span on any screen was about two and a half minutes.
    Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
Adjective
  • Perhaps the truth, however, is that Emmanuel-Thomas, in pure sporting terms, has always been something of a puzzle.
    Stuart James, New York Times, 6 June 2025
  • At the same time, demand for hybrids and plug-in hybrids is diverting sales away from pure EVs.
    Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • Allen also hasn't been shy with his praise for his now-wife, particularly her support of his football career.
    Erin Clack, People.com, 2 June 2025
  • Instead of crunch, there’s an intense smoke flavor that’s just shy of overpowering, and a denseness similar to ham.
    Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
Adjective
  • The humble statement was met with loud protests from all of his onstage colleagues, as well as Armisen.
    Jillian Sederholm, EW.com, 4 June 2025
  • The humble bathroom scale has long been overdue to learn some new tricks.
    Christopher Null, Wired News, 4 June 2025
Adjective
  • For many workers, that target can be difficult to match, considering that median income for full-time workers in their 30s is roughly $60,000 to $70,000, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data for the first quarter of 2025.
    Mike Winters, CNBC, 5 June 2025
  • The median income for suburban renters, at $42,500, lags significantly behind that of homeowners, who earn an average of over $86,000.
    Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • This immaculate financial status provides Lululemon with both strength during downturns and the ability to invest in further growth.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
  • His voice is immaculate, but his main influence is Chris Brown.
    EW.com, EW.com, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • For children, especially, these stressors can quickly lead to meltdowns or withdrawn behavior.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
  • My main criticism is its withdrawn camera, which is set too far away from the action in most stages.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • That confidence paid off as Farrow received her first Tony nomination for her role as the initially meek homebody Sharon in the play by Jen Silverman, which ran at the Booth Theatre on Broadway from September through December 2024.
    Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 31 May 2025
  • According to the latest report from L.A.’s film office, production days on location decreased more than 22 percent in the first quarter of 2025 compared with an already meek period in 2024.
    Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 2 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Modest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/modest. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.

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