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as in humble
not having or showing any feelings of superiority, self-assertiveness, or showiness the unpretentious disposition of an award-winning scientist who has nothing to prove to anyone

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of unpretentious Much of their set was made up of winsome, unpretentious alt-country songs about old memories and strong feelings. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2025 For an eclectic range of live music, from blues and jazz to Santana cover bands, Centro Cultural Breton is a small, unpretentious venue (cover typically 50 to 200 pesos) that has a following among local musicians and music lovers. Freda Moon, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025 These eateries emphasize quality ingredients and straightforward preparation, offering a warm, unpretentious dining experience. Carissa & Dino Tozzi, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2025 Gracious yet unpretentious, the kitchen serves up plenty of sushi and rolls, but also renders some surprisingly fun takes on dishes common to other menus. Laura Ness, The Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unpretentious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unpretentious
Adjective
  • Signal operations are otherwise unaffected, and motorists are reminded to always exercise caution around pedestrians.
    Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025
  • Upon hearing the noise, everyone falls to the ground unconscious, except for Cameron, who is unaffected.
    Christopher Rudolph, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Today By Paulina Berges Nestled within Okazaki on a quiet residential road, Shinsho-an feels more like a private home than a hotel.
    Christina Liao, Vogue, 15 Apr. 2025
  • And in a culture that often asks women to go faster, do more, and present themselves perfectly, the act of cooking something small and lovely—just because—is its own quiet form of resistance.
    Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Like a cat with nine lives, the building has undergone multiple renovations since its humble start as a savonnerie, or soap factory, in 1630.
    Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2025
  • What began as a humble mom-and-pop grocer and butcher shop a century ago is now a well-greased sausage factory, selling its products to big-name distributors such as Shamrock Foods, US Foods and Sysco, which get them to major sporting venues such as Ball Arena and Coors Field.
    Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Between the lines: Paxton is a genuine Trump ally and is eager to hit Cornyn for being a Washington establishment figure rather than true MAGA.
    Stef W. Kight, Axios, 10 Apr. 2025
  • This is a moment of genuine courage and growth, but it can be dismissed as snitching by viewers who can’t see past her overconfidence from several hours ago.
    Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The wooden floors feature graphic patterns, while bold wallpaper sets the tone in the kitchen, and the bedroom is outfitted in calming, muted tones.
    Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Currently, staff are allowed to wear pants that are gray, brown, or navy, and tops that are white, or have subdued patterns or muted colors.
    Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Episodes 5 and 6 inverted the relationship between abrasive eldest boy Saxon and the meek baby of the family, Lochlan.
    Judy Berman, Time, 31 Mar. 2025
  • Ahead of the clash with Bournemouth, Guardiola has said not even victory in the competition would salvage the poor showings in the Champions League and meek surrender of the Premier League title.
    Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The simplest way, Studholme suggests, is to use one group of neutrals or a tone on tone graduation of the same color, such as Pigeon, Blue Gray, Muzzle and Cromarty from Farrow & Ball, for example.
    Ariel Okin, Vogue, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Asked who’d buy these gold cards during an Oval Office meeting with reporters in February, Trump had a simple answer.
    Meehika Barua, HubSpot, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Fans who attended Monday’s contest noticed a subdued scene.
    The Athletic NBA Staff, The Athletic, 13 Jan. 2025
  • The Assad regime, decades in power and long propped up by Russian jets and Iranian proxies, appears to have collapsed not with the thunder of artillery but with a subdued whisper.
    Guney Yildiz, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Unpretentious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unpretentious. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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