HUMBLING Definition & Meaning

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humbling

[ huhm-bling, uhm- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

causing a person to feel less proud, especially through awe, admiration, or gratitude:
This project has involved some exceptionally talented people and it’s been a humbling experience to work with them.
lowering a person’s status, power, dignity, confidence, etc.:
The 26:2 vote in favor of their opponents was indeed a humbling defeat.

noun

the act of affecting a person or thing in any of these ways, or the experience of being so affected:
The Magna Carta marked the restoration of Anglo-Saxon freedom and the humbling of Norman tyranny.

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Other 51�Թ� Forms

��ܳ�·��Բ�·�� adverb
��-��ܳ�·��Բ� adjective

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of humbling¹

First recorded in 1540–50; humbl(e) ( def ) + -ing ²( def ) for the adjective senses; humbl(e) ( def ) + -ing ¹( def ) for the noun sense

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“I can’t believe how kind the whole world has been. I get hundreds of fan letters every week. It’s very humbling,” he said, adding that he was “so great” and “feeling stronger every day.”

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This led to a humbling moment, when at 35 she was dressed in full Snow cosplay and heard an astounded little girl declare that she couldn’t possibly be the heroine because she was “so old.”

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Ms Oakey said the scale of support the charity provides is "both humbling and inspiring".

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“It’s very humbling to this day for people to say, ‘Oh, he’s the guy who hit the home run,’” Gibson said.

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Princess Beatrice has described the premature birth of her daughter as "humbling".

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