What is the meaning of “I am humbled”?

Question

From a recent article on CNN:

Aboukhadijeh, who is from Sacramento, California, said he's been blown away by how quickly his tool went viral and is grateful for all the supportive feedback.

"I'm amazed and humbled by all the attention it's received. So thank you," he said.

TheFreeDictionary shows the definition of "humbled" as:

hum·bled, hum·bling, hum·bles
1. To curtail or destroy the pride of; humiliate.
2. To cause to be meek or modest in spirit.
3. To give a lower condition or station to; abase. See Synonyms at degrade.

None of these definitions seem to apply:

1. Being the author of something that is widely appreciated would seem to be cause for pride, rather than to curtail or destroy it.
2. His "modesty," or expectation that he would only have a small audience for his work, seems to be a pre-existing condition that is merely revealed by the event, not something that is caused by the event.
3. He created a tool that was rapidly used and appreciated by many, with the result being that he found himself in a higher condition or station than he was before.

Is there a subtlety I'm missing here?

Answer 1

Mariam-Webster's dictionary lists humbled as "To make humble". Humble is listed as

not proud or haughty : not arrogant or assertive

which makes a little more sense.

Still though, it's not exactly the clearest of constructions.

I think he's expressing the feeling that the tool and the community surrounding it have become bigger than himself, and he feels lower in station than all the people who took the time to promote/use the tool he wrote.

Answer 2

I don't think it's an expression to be over-analyzed. It's simply a polite, modest way of saying that he was not expecting such a great reception for his work. It's true that analytically what he said is probably not literally what he meant, but being humbled by something seems to mean in this context that something has made you feel a bit undeserving.

Answer 3

It's simply wrong to use "humbled" in this context; quit making excuses for it. This word has been misused by so many people - even educated people. I cringe when I hear it. Humbled means to be be lowered. It is wrong to accept a great honor and then say that you were "humbled" by this. Recently a man who was our parish priest at one time was named archbishop of Galveston-Houston. He said he was humbled by this. I can't believe how common this incorrect use of the word has become. It used to be uneducated athletes saying it, now it's a bishop?