humble
gb/hˈʌmbəl/ us/hˈʌmbəl/
B1
Anglais
~ 2200
Sens
0 sens
adjective
B1
property
1
Modest about one's importance
Thinking you are not more important or better than other people.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone] is humble
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'humble' with 'poor' in all contexts. In this sense, it refers to attitude, not wealth.
Synonymes
modest (Often used interchangeably, but 'modest' can also refer to moderation in appearance or claims, not just self-view.)
Antonymes
arrogant (Describes someone with an exaggerated sense of their own importance, the opposite of humble.)
Collocations
humble attitude
|humble person
|remain humble
|truly humble
|humble nature
Thèmes
character
|emotions
|social
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- Despite his success, he remained humble and approachable.
- She gave a humble speech, thanking her team for the award.
- He is humble about his achievements, never boasting.
Exemples pédagogiques
- My teacher is very humble.
- She is humble even though she is rich.
- He stays humble after winning the game.
adjective
B1
property
2
Low in rank or status
Having a low position in society or little money.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone/something] is humble
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may use 'humble' here to mean 'modest' in personality, when it refers instead to social/economic position.
Synonymes
lowly (Emphasizes low rank or status, often more literary.)
Antonymes
privileged (Describes someone with advantages in wealth or status, opposite of lowly or humble in this sense.)
Collocations
humble origins
|humble background
|humble beginnings
Thèmes
society
|status
|core_vocabulary
|business
|work
Exemples
- He came from humble beginnings but built a successful company.
- Her parents had humble jobs but valued education.
- The project started in a humble workshop.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I grew up in a humble village.
- She has a humble house in the countryside.
- He is from a humble family.
Verbe
B2
action
3
Make someone feel less proud
To make someone lose their pride or feel less important.
Schéma d’usage :
to humble [someone]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'humble' with 'embarrass'; 'humble' may not involve shame but rather perspective change.
Synonymes
humiliate ('Humiliate' often implies public shame; 'humble' can be gentler and not necessarily public.)
Antonymes
encourage (To build someone's confidence, opposite of making them feel less important.)
Collocations
humble an opponent
|humbled by defeat
|experience that humbles
Thèmes
emotions
|social
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The loss humbled the champion.
- Traveling to poor regions humbled her perspective on life.
- He was humbled by the generosity of strangers.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The game humbled the team.
- I was humbled by her kindness.
- Losing the match humbled him.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
humble
API
GB/hˈʌmbəl/
US/hˈʌmbəl/
Syllabes et accentuation
humble (1 syllabe)
Stress on 1st syllable (humble)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: humble
- Comparative: humbler
- Superlative: humblest
Verb
- Base: humble
- 3rd Person Singular: humbles
- Present Participle: humbling
- Past: humbled
Famille de mots
Expressions
in my humble opinion
1/ˈɪn mˈaɪ hˈʌmbəl əpˈɪnjən/
fixed phrase
informal
Polite way to share opinion
A polite way to say what you think.
Exemples
- In my humble opinion, this is his best book yet.
- Well, in my humble opinion, we should wait before deciding.
eat humble pie
1/ˈit hˈʌmbəl pˈaɪ/
idiom
informal
To admit you were wrong and apologize humbly
To say you were wrong and be sorry after someone shows you are wrong.
Exemples
- After the mistake was discovered, he had to eat humble pie in front of the team.
- After the argument, he had to eat humble pie and apologize.
- She refused to admit her error until the evidence forced her to eat humble pie.
- She was forced to eat humble pie when her plan failed.
eat humble pie
2/ˈit hˈʌmbəl pˈaɪ/
idiom
admit you were wrong
To admit you were wrong and say you are sorry, especially after strongly saying you were right.
Exemples
- After the report came out, the manager had to eat humble pie and apologize to the team.
- The critics ate humble pie when the movie became a huge success.
- He laughed at her idea, but later he ate humble pie when it worked perfectly.