unassuming

U1N1A1S1S1U1M3I1N1G2
/ʌnəˈsjuːmɪŋ//ʌnəˈsuːmɪŋ/

adjective

Modest and having no pretensions or ostentation.

UncommonScrabble 13

Meanings

adjectiveunassuming (comparative more unassuming, superlative most unassuming)

comparative more unassuming · superlative most unassuming

  1. Modest and having no pretensions or ostentation.

    Various bridges were required, including a lofty one at Brantham, but money was saved by providing unassuming structures at the three intermediate stations.

    1946 September and October, “Centenary of the Ipswich-Colchester Line”, in Railway Magazine, page 307
    1 more example

    The crews themselves throughout were an interesting study. The drivers, as older men, bore that air of quite unassuming competence, as British drivers have always done and which in any field has come to be regarded as characteristic of men bearing heavy responsibility to which at the same time they are equal.

    1949 March and April, F. G. Roe, “I Saw Three Englands–2”, in Railway Magazine, page 84

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivenot arrogant or presuming

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*né
  2. Proto-Indo-European*n̥-
  3. Proto-Germanic*un-
  4. Proto-West Germanic*un-
  5. Old Englishun-
  6. Middle Englishun-
  7. Englishun-
  8. Englishassuming
  9. Englishunassuming

From un- + assuming.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian скромен, непретенциозен
  • скромен (skromen)modest with no pretensions or ostentation
  • непретенциозен (nepretenciozen)modest with no pretensions or ostentation
Dutch bescheiden, pretentieloos
  • bescheidenmodest with no pretensions or ostentation
  • pretentieloosmodest with no pretensions or ostentation
Esperanto neafektema
  • neafektemamodest with no pretensions or ostentation
Finnish vaatimaton
  • vaatimatonmodest with no pretensions or ostentation
French sans prétention
  • sans prétentionmodest with no pretensions or ostentation
German bescheiden, anspruchslos
  • bescheidenmodest with no pretensions or ostentation
  • anspruchslosmodest with no pretensions or ostentation
  • unaufdringlichmodest with no pretensions or ostentation
  • unprätentiösmodest with no pretensions or ostentation
Hungarian szerény, egyszerű
  • szerénymodest with no pretensions or ostentation
  • egyszerűmodest with no pretensions or ostentation
  • igénytelenmodest with no pretensions or ostentation
  • diszkrétmodest with no pretensions or ostentation
  • visszafogottmodest with no pretensions or ostentation
Icelandic lítillátur
  • lítilláturmodest with no pretensions or ostentation
Latin summissus
  • summissusmodest with no pretensions or ostentation
Māori whakamōwai, hūnguengue
  • whakamōwaimodest with no pretensions or ostentation
  • hūnguenguemodest with no pretensions or ostentation
Polish skromny, bezpretensjonalny
  • skromnymodest with no pretensions or ostentation
  • bezpretensjonalnymodest with no pretensions or ostentation
Russian непритяза́тельный, скро́мный
  • непритяза́тельный (nepritjazátelʹnyj)modest with no pretensions or ostentation
  • скро́мный (skrómnyj)modest with no pretensions or ostentation
Spanish sencillo, modesto
  • sencillomodest with no pretensions or ostentation
  • modestomodest with no pretensions or ostentation
  • sin pretensionesmodest with no pretensions or ostentation
  • non asumientemodest with no pretensions or ostentation
Swedish anspråkslös
  • anspråkslösmodest with no pretensions or ostentation
Turkish alçakgönüllü, mütevazı
  • alçakgönüllümodest with no pretensions or ostentation
  • mütevazımodest with no pretensions or ostentation
  • iddiasızmodest with no pretensions or ostentation
  • gösterişsizmodest with no pretensions or ostentation

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with unassuming

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

unassuming. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unassuming

MLA

“unassuming.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unassuming. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “unassuming,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unassuming.

Source: unassuming on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.