humility
gb/hjumˈɪlɪti/ us/hjumˈɪlɪti/
B2
English
~ 5700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
property
1
quality of not being proud
The quality of not thinking you are more important or better than other people.
Usage pattern:
humility about [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "humility" with "humiliation." "Humility" is a positive quality of not thinking you are better than others, while "humiliation" is a painful feeling of shame when someone makes you feel small or foolish. Learners also sometimes use the adjective "humble" where the noun "humility" is needed, for example saying *"He has a lot of humble"* instead of *"He has a lot of humility."*
Synonyms
modesty (Often about not showing off success or abilities; can also refer to being careful about not showing too much of the body.)
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humbleness (Very close in meaning; slightly less formal and less common in modern use.)
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meekness (Suggests being gentle and not resisting others; can sound weak or overly passive compared with ‘humility’.)
Antonyms
pride (In this context, refers to a high opinion of oneself; the opposite attitude to humility.)
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arrogance (Means believing you are more important or better than others; directly contrasts with humility.)
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conceit (Means having an overly high opinion of your own abilities or appearance; humility avoids this.)
Collocations
a sense of humility
|with humility
|show humility
|false humility
|teach humility
|humility and gratitude
Themes
emotions
|character
|religion
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her humility made her easy to work with, even after she became famous.
- He accepted the award with humility, thanking his team for their support.
- True leadership requires both confidence and humility.
- Years of failure taught him humility and patience.
- In many religions, humility is seen as a central virtue.
Learner examples
- She shows great humility when she talks about her success.
- He speaks with humility and respect to everyone.
- The coach told the team to play with humility.
- Fame did not change him; he still has the same humility.
- We can learn humility when we make mistakes.
Grammar
Dictionary form
humility
IPA
GB/hjumˈɪlɪti/
US/hjumˈɪlɪti/
Syllables & stress
hu - mil - ity (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (mil)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: humility
- Plural: humility
Word family
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
Advanced or less common
humbleness
noun
humbling
adjective
Expressions
false humility
1/fˈɔls hjumˈɪlɪti/
fixed phrase
pretended, insincere modesty
When someone only pretends to be humble, usually to look good to other people.
Examples
- His speech was full of false humility and obvious self-praise.
- The interviewer complained about the celebrity’s false humility.
in all humility
1/ˈɪn ˈɔl hjumˈɪlɪti/
fixed phrase
formal
speaking while claiming modesty
Used before saying something about yourself or your opinion, to show (or pretend) that you are not being proud.
Examples
- In all humility, I believe our team did an excellent job.
- He said, in all humility, that he was the best person for the role.
learn humility
1/lˈɚn hjumˈɪlɪti/
fixed phrase
gain humility through experience
To become more humble because of what happens to you, especially after failures or difficulties.
Examples
- After several public failures, he began to learn humility.
- Traveling alone in a new country can make you learn humility.
show humility
1/ʃˈoʊ hjumˈɪlɪti/
fixed phrase
behave in a humble way
To act in a way that makes it clear you do not think you are more important than other people.
Examples
- Winners are expected to show humility and respect their opponents.
- She always shows humility when she talks about her achievements.
with humility
1/wˈɪθ hjumˈɪlɪti/
fixed phrase
in a modest, not proud way
In a way that shows you do not think you are more important or better than other people.
Examples
- She accepted the criticism with humility and tried to improve.
- We must listen to others with humility if we want to learn.