What does unassuming mean?
Word: Unassuming
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Unassuming means modest and not trying to seem important.
Synonyms: unpretentious
How do you spell unassuming?
Syllables: un - as - sum - ing
Tricky part: A double s sits in the middle, and one of the pair is easy to drop.
Watch out for: unasuming, unasumming
Memory tip: Think of two quiet twins standing side by side in the middle of the word: the double s.
Unassuming in a sentence
Example 1: Dr Iyer is an unassuming man who never mentions his awards.
Example 2: Behind its unassuming front, the cafe serves the best dosas in town.
Example 3: The unassuming boy in the back row turned out to be a chess champion.
Fun Fact
Take away the un and the meaning does not simply flip: assuming on its own usually means supposing, as in assuming the rain stops by noon.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word unassuming as used in the sentence:
Despite winning the state prize, Kavya stayed unassuming and shared the credit with her team.
a) shy
b) gentle
c) humble
d) boastful
Show answer
d) boastful. A boastful winner would keep the praise for herself and talk about it endlessly.
Word Makeup
Only one of these words cannot take the prefix un. Choose it.
un
a) tidy
b) legal
c) certain
d) fair
Show answer
b) legal. Certain, tidy and fair all take this prefix, but legal takes il instead.
Word Cookie
Fill in the missing letters to complete the word:
unass_m_ng
a) o,i
b) i,i
c) u,i
d) u,e
Show answer
c) u,i. The vowels are the u of sum and the i of the ending ing.
Mingle-Mangle
The jumbled letters in the sentence hide a word. Choose it.
The great scientist lived in an iumsnsgaun little house behind the college.
a) unassuming
b) unanswered
c) unassisted
d) unsuspecting
Show answer
a) unassuming. An m sits among these letters, and no other option has one.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. An unassuming building is one that ____.
a) was designed to impress every visitor
b) stands taller than all its neighbours
c) does not look grand from the street
d) is covered in gold and fine marble
Show answer
c) does not look grand from the street
2. Which compliment suits an unassuming person best?
a) You never make a fuss about your success.
b) You love being the centre of attention.
c) You make sure that everyone hears you.
d) You always dress for the front page.
Show answer
a) You never make a fuss about your success.
