What does “modest” mean?
- 1
adjectivenot talking much about your own abilities or achievements
He’s very modest about his success.
- 2
adjectivenot large, expensive or important
They live in a modest house outside town.
- 3
adjectiveof clothes, not showing much of the body
Visitors must wear modest clothing in the temple.
Modest at a glance
- Part of speech
- adjective
- CEFR level
- B2 (upper intermediate)
- Pronunciation
- /ˈmɑdɪst/ · MOD-ist
How to use “modest” correctly
In academic writing, “a modest increase” means a small one, not a humble one.
Common phrases with “modest”
- modest increase
- modest income
- modest about
- a modest amount
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Antonyms (opposite meaning)
- boastful
- arrogant
Word family
- modesty
- modestly
“modest” is on these word lists
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