meek

[meek]

adjective

meeker, meekest 

1. humbly patient or quiet in nature, as under provocation from others.

   Synonyms: yielding, soft, timid, weak, obedient, calm, pacific, unassuming, passive

2. overly submissive or compliant; tame.

3. Obsolete.,  gentle; kind.

meek

/ miːk /

adjective

1. patient, long-suffering, or submissive in disposition or nature; humble

2. spineless or spiritless; compliant

3. an obsolete word for gentle

Other Word Forms

• meekly adverb
• meekness noun
• overmeek adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of meek¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English meke, meoc, from Old Norse mjūkr “soft, mild, meek”

Word History and Origins

Origin of meek¹

C12: related to Old Norse mjūkr amenable; compare Welsh mwytho to soften

Synonym Study

See gentle.

Example Sentences

Thomas, the gentler of the two, draws most of Ray’s abuse, and it shapes him into a meek and easily frightened being.

From Salon

It was the type of meek resistance usually saved for the end of an Ashes tour when heads are scrambled.

From BBC

Rather than falling in a flurry of expansive strokes, they lacked any sort of batting rhythm and a meek procession against canny yet unspectacular bowling followed.

From BBC

Starring in writer-director Alex Russell’s “Lurker,” a gripping psychological thriller that explores the insidious parasocial bond between a rising pop star and a seemingly meek retail employee, which is out in theaters Friday.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s a luxury, a quantum leap, one that can save your imagination from a propensity to meek fatalism or received social patterns.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• deferential 
• docile 
• gentle 
• passive 
• serene 
• subdued 
• submissive 
• timid 
• unassuming 

When To Use

What does meek mean?

When used in a positive way, meek describes someone who shows patient restraint. When used negatively, it means overly submissive.The positive sense of meek implies that someone is able to remain calm and subdued even when being provoked. Its negative use is perhaps more common, and is intended to indicate that someone is being too passive. The word meek is often associated with Christian virtues due to its use in a well-known Bible passage.Example: I know you’re naturally reserved, but you can’t be so meek during job interviews.