SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
unassuming
adjective
Modest and without a wish to attract attention.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Modest without display
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topUnassuming concerns lack of self-importance or display. Quiet describes manner or volume, and unobtrusive describes the effect on others' attention.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See unassuming in use
The unassuming inventor preferred to let her work speak for itself.
The unassuming visitor did not compete for attention, yet her careful response showed that modest behavior could coexist with knowledge.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license