Someone who shows modesty does not talk much about their abilities or achievements.
[approval]
His modesty does him credit, for the food he produces speaks for itself.
He plays the character with tremendous concentration combined with a pleasing modesty.
Synonyms: reserve, decency, humility, shyness More Synonyms of modesty
2. uncountable noun
You can refer to the modesty of something such as a place or amount when it is fairly small.
The modesty of the town itself comes as something of a surprise. [+ of]
...the modesty of their prices.
Synonyms: plainness, simplicity, ordinariness, unpretentiousness More Synonyms of modesty
3. uncountable noun
If someone, especially a woman, shows modesty, they dress and behave in a way that is intended to avoid causing sexual feelings in other people.
There were shrieks of embarrassment as the girls struggled to protect their modesty.
Synonyms: decorum, virtue, decency, delicacy More Synonyms of modesty
modesty in British English
(ˈmɒdɪstɪ)
nounWord forms: plural-ties
1.
the quality or condition of being modest
2. (modifier)
designed to prevent inadvertent exposure of part of the body
a modesty panel
modesty in American English
(ˈmɑdɪsti)
noun
the quality or state of being modest
; specif.,
a.
unassuming or humble behavior
b.
lack of excesses or pretensions; moderation
c.
decency; decorum
Word origin
Fr modestie < L modestia
Examples of 'modesty' in a sentence
modesty
But who is your modesty being protected from?
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
That sounds like false modesty to us.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
More than half said they cover their modesty here.
The Sun (2012)
But lacking sparkle is often a euphemism for pleasing modesty.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
He had no false modesty about the poems.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Her modesty will be covered by a bunch of roses.
The Sun (2009)
But she quickly grabbed the hem of her dress to protect her modesty.
The Sun (2012)
At least her modesty was protected then.
The Sun (2014)
She leans on a tree in another snap and then goes naked except for a faux fur jacket covering her modesty.
The Sun (2015)
His hard work and modesty may stem from the fact that he has lived much of his cricketing life in the shadows.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The modesty was typical of the woman, but misplaced.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
There's no such thing as false modesty with you.
The Sun (2015)
With typical modesty he commented that none his many performances could match the life and death one-act dramas enacted in such a theatre.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Historically, underwear was designed to preserve a woman 's modesty and help with hygiene.
The Sun (2013)
There was a pleasing modesty to his claim that he was merely'a cook' and his panicky air over the frying pan endeared.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Quotations
Small is the worth Of beauty from the light retir'd; Bid her come forth, Suffer herself to be desir'd, And not blush so to be admir'dEdmund WallerGo Lovely Rose!
In other languages
modesty
British English: modesty NOUN
Someone who shows modesty does not talk much about their abilities or achievements.
His modesty does him credit, for the food he produces speaks for itself.
American English: modesty
Brazilian Portuguese: modéstia
Chinese: 谦虚
European Spanish: modestia
French: modestie
German: Bescheidenheit
Italian: modestia
Japanese: 謙虚
Korean: 겸손
European Portuguese: modéstia
Latin American Spanish: modestia
Chinese translation of 'modesty'
modesty
(ˈmɔdɪstɪ)
n(u)
(= humility) 谦(謙)逊(遜) (qiānxùn)
(= smallness) 小 (xiǎo)
(= simplicity) 朴(樸)实(實) (pǔshí)
(= decency) 端庄(莊) (duānzhuāng)
1 (noun)
His modesty does him credit.
Synonyms
reserve
I hope you'll overcome your reserve.
decency
humility
a deep sense of humility
shyness
Eventually she overcame her shyness.
propriety
reticence
timidity
diffidence
He spoke with a certain diffidence.
quietness
coyness
self-effacement
meekness
She maintained a kind of meekness.
lack of pretension
bashfulness
Suddenly overcome with bashfulness, he lowered his voice.
humbleness
unpretentiousness
demureness
unobtrusiveness
discreetness
Opposites
confidence
,
pride
,
assurance
,
vanity
,
arrogance
,
presumption
,
extravagance
,
conceit
,
indecency
,
boldness
,
egotism
,
ostentation
,
pretentiousness
,
immodesty
,
haughtiness
,
boastfulness
,
forwardness
,
showiness
2 (noun)
The modesty of the town itself comes as a surprise.
Synonyms
plainness
simplicity
fussy details that ruin the simplicity of the design
ordinariness
unpretentiousness
inexpensiveness
3 (noun)
When I turned over, she held the cotton sheet up above her face to protect my modesty.
Synonyms
decorum
I was treated with decorum and respect
virtue
His mother was held up to the family as a paragon of virtue.
decency
His sense of decency forced him to resign.
delicacy
propriety
Their sense of social propriety is eroded.
sobriety
coyness
They discuss delicate matters without a trace of coyness.
demureness
decorousness
seemliness
chasteness
Quotation
Small is the worth Of beauty from the light retir'd; Bid her come forth, Suffer herself to be desir'd, And not blush so to be admir'd [Edmund Waller – Go Lovely Rose!]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bashfulness
Suddenly overcome with bashfulness, he lowered his voice.
Synonyms
shyness,
reserve,
embarrassment,
constraint,
hesitation,
modesty,
nervousness,
lack of confidence,
reticence,
self-consciousness,
timidity,
diffidence,
coyness,
timorousness,
mousiness,
sheepishness,
timidness
in the sense of coyness
They discuss delicate matters without a trace of coyness.
Synonyms
shyness,
reserve,
modesty,
timidity,
affectation,
diffidence,
prudery,
evasiveness,
prudishness,
bashfulness,
skittishness,
primness,
archness,
prissiness (informal),
coquettishness,
demureness
in the sense of decency
Definition
conformity to the prevailing standards of what is right
His sense of decency forced him to resign.
Synonyms
propriety,
correctness,
decorum,
fitness,
good form,
respectability,
etiquette,
appropriateness,
seemliness
Synonyms of 'modesty'
modesty
Explore 'modesty' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of diffidence
He spoke with a certain diffidence.
Synonyms
shyness,
fear,
reserve,
hesitation,
doubt,
constraint,
reluctance,
insecurity,
modesty,
humility,
self-consciousness,
timidity,
backwardness,
hesitancy,
meekness,
lack of self-confidence,
bashfulness,
timorousness,
unassertiveness,
sheepishness,
timidness
in the sense of humility
Definition
the quality of being humble and modest
a deep sense of humility
Synonyms
modesty,
diffidence,
meekness,
submissiveness,
servility,
self-abasement,
humbleness,
lowliness,
unpretentiousness,
lack of pride
in the sense of meekness
She maintained a kind of meekness.
Synonyms
submissiveness,
resignation,
submission,
compliance,
modesty,
patience,
humility,
long-suffering,
deference,
softness,
gentleness,
acquiescence,
timidity,
forbearance,
peacefulness,
docility,
mildness,
humbleness,
lowliness
in the sense of propriety
Definition
correct conduct
Their sense of social propriety is eroded.
Synonyms
decorum,
manners,
courtesy,
protocol,
good form,
decency,
breeding,
delicacy,
modesty,
respectability,
etiquette,
refinement,
politeness,
good manners,
rectitude,
punctilio,
seemliness
in the sense of shyness
Eventually she overcame her shyness.
Synonyms
timidity,
self-consciousness,
bashfulness,
modesty,
nervousness,
lack of confidence,
reticence,
diffidence,
timorousness,
mousiness,
timidness
in the sense of simplicity
fussy details that ruin the simplicity of the design
Synonyms
plainness,
restraint,
purity,
clean lines,
naturalness,
lack of adornment
in the sense of virtue
Definition
moral goodness
His mother was held up to the family as a paragon of virtue.