lowly
Modest in station
Lowly describes someone or something of humble rank, status, or importance.
A lowly clerk occupies a minor position in an organization; lowly origins suggest modest beginnings.
The word carries connotations of meekness or insignificance, though it can also imply virtuous humility rather than mere low standing.
She rose from lowly beginnings to become CEO.
Lowly occasionally functions as an adverb meaning humbly, though this use is rare and literary.
Lacking false superiority
- self-effacingDownplaying one's own importance
- unassumingNot making claims
- modestLacking in pretension
- meekHumbly unassertive
deferential · down-to-earth · simple · plain · understated · unobtrusive · retiring · reserved
Below acceptable standards
- substandardBelow required quality
- lesserLower in degree
- minorScale with lowered third
- insignificantLacking importance or consequence
subordinate · junior · underling · menial · base · degraded · beneath · second-class
Excessively eager to obey
- obsequiousServilely attentive to superiors
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
- grovelingDemeaning self-abasement before another
- sycophanticServilely flattering
bootlicking · kowtowing · toadying · cringing · slavish · submissive · docile · compliant
unpretentious
Lacking false superiority
- self-effacingDownplaying one's own importance
- unassumingNot making claims
- modestLacking in pretension
meek · deferential · down-to-earth · simple · plain · understated · unobtrusive · retiring · reserved · ordinary
second-rate
Below acceptable standards
- substandardBelow required quality
- lesserLower in degree
- minorScale with lowered third
insignificant · subordinate · junior · underling · menial · base · degraded · beneath · second-class · unimportant
subservient
Excessively eager to obey
- obsequiousServilely attentive to superiors
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
- grovelingDemeaning self-abasement before another
sycophantic · bootlicking · kowtowing · toadying · cringing · slavish · submissive · docile · compliant · deferential
- humilityhumbleness, humble, meekness, modesty, modest
- statusstatus, prestige, ranking, reputation, elite
- underclasspoor, pauper, peasant, homeless, serf
- povertypoverty line, poor, poverty rate, impoverished, generational poverty
- nonessentialunnecessary, unneeded, nonessential, inessential, dispensable
- inferiorinferior, substandard, second-rate, second-class, subpar
lowlyarrogant
Excessively high self-regard
haughty · proud · pompous · pretentious · supercilious
- lower the barReduce required standards
- running lowNearing exhaustion of supply
- lower backSpine's bottom section
- lower lipMouth's bottom boundary
- run lowNear exhaustion of supply
- low batteryInsufficient stored power
low, lower, lowest, lowered, lowering, lowercase, lowness, lowermost, lowliest