Modesty means having a humble, realistic view of yourself and your accomplishments. A modest person doesn't brag or try to impress others, even when they've done something impressive. When a star soccer player scores the winning goal but tells reporters, “my teammates did all the hard work,” that's modesty in action.

Modesty shows up in how people talk about themselves and how they behave. A modest student who aces every test doesn't announce their grades to the class or make others feel bad about their own scores. A modest inventor who creates something brilliant might say, “I had a lot of help,” even though their own skill and effort made it happen.

The word can also refer to being moderate or reasonable in your expectations or claims. A family might live in a modest house that's comfortable but not fancy. A restaurant might serve modest portions that satisfy without overwhelming.

Being modest is different from having low confidence. Modest people know their strengths; they simply don't need everyone else to hear about them constantly.