What does "lowly" mean?
Not high; not elevated in place; low.
Lowly
/ˈləʊli/ adj, adv
adj, adv ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Not high; not elevated in place; low.
- Grammar: lowly is listed as adj, adv.
- Nearest alternatives: humble, modest, base, base.
- Useful contrasts: arrogantly, august, boldly.
- Usage evidence: The affection of the lowly is like a wall of sand.
How to use "lowly"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "lowly" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "lowly" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "lowly" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "lowly" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "lowly" is acting as adj, adv in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "humble" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "lowly", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Not high; not elevated in place; low.
"And those whom Tiber's holy forests hide, Or Circe's hills from the main land divide; Where Ufens glides along the lowly lands, Or the black water of Pomptina stands."
- 2 Low in rank or social importance.
"One common right the great and lowly claims."
- 3 Not lofty or sublime; humble.
"Where our apt used to be they built a fancy condominium high-rise. Which at a lowly income none of us could ever really quite afford."
- 4 Having a low esteem of one's own worth; humble; meek; free from pride.
"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart."
Adjective
- 1 of low birth or station (‘base’ is archaic in this sense) wordnet
- 2 inferior in rank or status wordnet
- 3 used of unskilled work (especially domestic work) wordnet
- 4 low or inferior in station or quality wordnet
Adverb
- 1 In a low manner; humbly; meekly; modestly.
"Walking through the park, it wasn't quite dark / There was a man sitting on a bench / Out of the crowd as his head lowly bowed"
- 2 In a low condition; meanly.
- 3 At low pitch or volume.
"These words were lowly and sweetly murmured in the same way with the word mother, being changefully varied in their modulations, […]"
Antonyms
Example
"The affection of the lowly is like a wall of sand."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "lowly"?
Common synonyms include: humble, modest, base, base, baseborn, baseborn.
How do you use "lowly" in a sentence?
The affection of the lowly is like a wall of sand.
How do you pronounce "lowly"?
Pronounced /ˈləʊli/.
Etymology
From low + -ly; compare Middle English lowly.