modest

adjective

MO-duhst/ˈmɑdəst/UKMOD-ist/ˈmɒdɪst/

4 meanings of modest

1
adjective
Not showing off about yourself or the things you have done.
Like a winner who quietly puts the trophy away instead of showing it to everyone.
She stayed modest even after winning the big prize.
He is too modest to talk about all his awards.
Similarhumble, unpretentious, meek, self-effacing, demure
Oppositearrogant, immodest
2
adjective
Small or fairly small in size or amount.
Like a small step forward instead of a giant jump.
They live in a modest house near the river.
The team made modest progress this week.
Similarsmall, moderate, little, average, medium
Oppositeimmodest
3
adjective
Dressed or behaving in a way that does not try to attract sexual interest.
Like choosing plain clothes so people pay you less attention.
She wore a modest dress to the religious ceremony.
The school asks every student to keep a modest appearance.
Similarplain, simple, chaste, austere, unadorned
Oppositeprovocative, sexy, sensual, flamboyant
4
adjective
Pure and gentle in thoughts, words, and behavior, because of a sense of what is proper.
She gave a modest blush when the talk turned to romance.
He kept his jokes modest whenever the children were in the room.
Similarchaste, demure, virginal, prudish
Oppositeimmodest, obscene

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of modest apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Latin modestus, which came into English through French.