How to pronounce humble
Say it like HUHM-bul. Humble has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HUHM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce humble. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HUHM
- bul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Humble pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HUHMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
- bulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of humble
American and British speakers say humble in essentially the same way: /ˈhʌmbəl/ in the US and /ˈhʌmbəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: HUHM-bul.
What does humble mean?
- cause to be unpretentious“This experience will humble him”
- cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of“He humiliated his colleague by criticising him in front of the boss”
- low or inferior in station or quality“a humble cottage”“a lowly parish priest”
- marked by meekness or modesty; not arrogant or prideful“a humble apology”“essentially humble...and self-effacing, he achieved the highest formal honors and distinctions”
- used of unskilled work (especially domestic work)
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with humble
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of humble.
Questions about saying humble
How do you pronounce humble?
Say HUHM-bul. The American pronunciation is /ˈhʌmbəl/. In British English it is /ˈhʌmbəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in humble?
Humble has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HUHM). Broken into parts: HUHM · bul.
Do Americans and Brits say humble the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈhʌmbəl/ and the British form is /ˈhʌmbəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.