Modest — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈmä-dəst/ mod·est

Meaning & Definition of Modest

Modest (adjective)

  1. having or exhibiting a moderate estimate on one's abilities or worth
  2. neither bold nor self-assertive, tending toward diffidence
  3. arising from or characteristic of a modest nature

Modest (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. being about midway between extremes of amount or size

    "he was awarded a modest pension when he retired"

    similar: average, intermediate, mean, median, medium, middle, middling, midsize, moderate
    related: reasonable, common, commonplace, conventional, normal, popular, regular, routine, standard, typical, usual, adequate, passable, tolerable
    near: excessive, extreme, exceptional, rare, strange, uncommon, unusual, distinctive, idiosyncratic, special, unique, individual, peculiar, private

  2. free from any trace of the coarse or indecent

    "tended to wear more modest swimsuits than the thong-clad guests at the resort"

    similar: chaste, clean, decent, G-rated, immaculate, pure, vestal, virgin, virginal
    related: lily-white, spotless, stainless, unblemished, undefiled, unsoiled, unspotted, unstained, unsullied, untainted, untarnished, decorous, proper, seemly, cultivated, refined, tasteful, harmless, innocent, innocuous, inoffensive
    opposite: coarse, dirty, filthy, immodest, impure, indecent, obscene, smutty, unchaste, unclean, vulgar
    near: blemished, defiled, soiled, spotted, stained, sullied, tainted, tarnished, improper, indecorous, indelicate, ribald, unseemly, crude, tacky, tasteless, unrefined

  3. not comfortable around people

    "a modest winner who said a quick thank-you and promptly left the stage"

    similar: backward, bashful, coy, demure, diffident, introverted, recessive, retiring, self-effacing, sheepish, shy, withdrawn
    related: antisocial, lone, lone-wolf, unsociable, unsocial, awkward, embarrassed, self-conscious, unadventurous, unassertive, unenterprising, inhibited, reserved, uneasy, uptight
    opposite: extroverted, immodest, outgoing
    near: boon, clubbable, companionable, convivial, gregarious, sociable, social, bold, dashing, forceful, brash, forward, overbold, uninhibited, unreserved

  4. not having or showing any feelings of superiority, self-assertiveness, or showiness

    "appealingly modest about her success in the fashion industry"

    similar: demure, down-to-earth, humble, lowly, meek, unassuming, unpretentious
    related: acquiescent, compliant, deferential, resigned, submissive, unaggressive, unassertive, yielding, cowering, cringing, shrinking, ingenuous, naive, plain, simple, unaffected, bashful, diffident, introverted, mousy, overmodest, passive, quiet, reserved, retiring, sheepish, shy, subdued, timid, unobtrusive, aw-shucks, self-deprecating, self-deprecatory, self-effacing
    opposite: arrogant, bumptious, chesty, conceited, egotistic, fastuous, haughty, highfalutin, high-and-mighty, high-handed, high-hat, hoity-toity, huffish, huffy, imperious, lordly, overweening, peremptory, pompous, presuming, presumptuous, pretentious, self-asserting, self-assertive, supercilious, superior, toplofty, uppish, uppity
    near: aggressive, assertive, audacious, bold, brash, brassy, cheeky, forward, impertinent, impudent, saucy, cocksure, cocky, confident, hubristic, overconfident, self-confident, egocentric, egoistic, narcissistic, prideful, self-affected, self-centered, self-complacent, self-conceited, self-congratulatory, self-contented, self-engrossed, self-important, self-obsessed, self-pleased, self-satisfied, smug, stuck-up, swelled-headed, boastful, bombastic, braggy, swaggering, vain, vainglorious, condescending, disdainful, dominant, dominating, domineering, magisterial, overbearing, patronizing, pontificating, flamboyant, ostentatious, showy, extroverted, immodest, outgoing, uninhibited, unreserved

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Modest

The most common words with a similar meaning to Modest:

average, intermediate, mean, median, medium, middle, middling, midsize, moderate, chaste, clean, decent, G-rated, immaculate, pure, vestal, virgin, virginal, backward, bashful, coy, demure, diffident, introverted, recessive, retiring, self-effacing, sheepish, shy, withdrawn, down-to-earth, humble, lowly, meek, unassuming, unpretentious

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Modest

Words with the opposite meaning of Modest:

coarse, dirty, filthy, immodest, impure, indecent, obscene, smutty, unchaste, unclean, vulgar, extroverted, outgoing, arrogant, bumptious, chesty, conceited, egotistic, fastuous, haughty, highfalutin, high-and-mighty, high-handed, high-hat, hoity-toity, huffish, huffy, imperious, lordly, overweening

Related Words for Modest

reasonable, common, commonplace, conventional, normal, popular, regular, routine, standard, typical, usual, adequate, passable, tolerable, lily-white, spotless, stainless, unblemished, undefiled, unsoiled, unspotted, unstained, unsullied, untainted, untarnished, decorous, proper, seemly, cultivated, refined

Near Antonyms of Modest

excessive, extreme, exceptional, rare, strange, uncommon, unusual, distinctive, idiosyncratic, special, unique, individual, peculiar, private, blemished, defiled, soiled, spotted, stained, sullied, tainted, tarnished, improper, indecorous, indelicate, ribald, unseemly, crude, tacky, tasteless

Word Forms of Modest

Derived words: modestly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Modest

Latin modestus moderate; akin to Latin modus measure

First known use: 1550

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Modest

Frequently Asked Questions about Modest

What does "Modest" mean?

"Modest" means having or exhibiting a moderate estimate on one's abilities or worth. As an adjective, it is defined as: having or exhibiting a moderate estimate on one's abilities or worth. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Modest"?

Other words for "Modest" include average, intermediate, mean, median, medium, middle, middling and midsize. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Modest" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Modest"?

There are 111 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Modest". Common alternatives include average, intermediate, mean, median, medium, middle, middling, midsize, moderate and chaste.

What is the opposite of "Modest"?

Antonyms of "Modest" include coarse, dirty, filthy, immodest, impure, indecent, obscene and smutty. Near antonyms include excessive, extreme, exceptional and rare.

How do you use "Modest" in a sentence?

Examples of "Modest" in a sentence: "he was awarded a modest pension when he retired"; "tended to wear more modest swimsuits than the thong-clad guests at the resort"; "a modest winner who said a quick thank-you and promptly left the stage".

Is "Modest" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Modest" is an adjective.

Is "Modest" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Modest" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Modest"?

"Modest" is pronounced /ˈmä-dəst/ and divided into syllables as mod·est.