esteem 1 of 2

noun

i-ˈstēm How to pronounce esteem (audio)
Definition of esteemnext
as in admiration
a feeling of great approval and liking an athlete who is held in great esteem by her peers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

esteem

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to regard
to think of in a particular way I had esteemed the whole affair to be a colossal waste of time

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to respect
to think very highly or favorably of although the works of the Impressionist painters are esteemed today, they met with scorn when they were introduced

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to think
to have as an opinion I should have esteemed it most unlikely that their marriage had any chance of success

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb esteem contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of esteem are admire, regard, and respect. While all these words mean "to recognize the worth of a person or thing," esteem implies greater warmth of feeling accompanying a high valuation.

no citizen of the town was more highly esteemed

When is admire a more appropriate choice than esteem?

The words admire and esteem can be used in similar contexts, but admire suggests usually enthusiastic appreciation and often deep affection.

a friend that I truly admire

When is it sensible to use regard instead of esteem?

Although the words regard and esteem have much in common, regard is a general term that is usually qualified.

he is highly regarded in the profession

Where would respect be a reasonable alternative to esteem?

In some situations, the words respect and esteem are roughly equivalent. However, respect implies a considered evaluation or estimation.

after many years they came to respect her views

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of esteem
Noun
He’s earned international esteem as a bandleader and collaborator with other singular artists like Afro-Swiss harmonica virtuoso Grégoire Maret, Japanese piano star Hiromi, and Cuban reed great Paquito D’Rivera. —Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2025 Politics aside, Rubio is held in high esteem by his former colleagues. —Haisten Willis, The Washington Examiner, 2 May 2025
Verb
Where could esteem, a sense of self-worth, come from? —Geoff Dyer, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025 Still Irish Whiskey is a unique collaboration between two historic Irish families: the Mitchells, renowned Dublin wine and whiskey merchants, and the Bartons, esteemed Bordeaux winemakers of Château Léoville Barton. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for esteem
Recent Examples of Synonyms for esteem
  1. admiration
  2. regard
  3. respect
  4. think
  5. appreciation
  6. consider
  7. admire
  8. believe
Noun
  • The president’s support of Ukraine has been in question since before his reelection because of his vocal admiration for Putin — and after publicly shouting at Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his visit to the White House in February.
    — Sam Gillette, People.com, 5 June 2025
  • His admiration for strongmen such as Putin, China’s Xi Jinping and El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele alarms observers.
    — Daniel Treisman, The Conversation, 3 June 2025
Definition of admiration
Verb
  • Edwin De Los Santos The 26-year-old Davis is widely regarded as one of the bright, young stars in boxing.
    — Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
  • The 58-year-old Bergman is a company man, having joined back in 1996, and is regarded as sharp and skilled at overseeing a portfolio that includes Marvel, Pixar, Walt Disney Animation and Lucasfilm.
    — Peter Kiefer, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2025
Definition of regard
Verb
  • Trump’s moral choice is to respect Gulf states’ unique history, culture, religion, and society.
    — Jason D. Greenblatt, semafor.com, 4 June 2025
  • CrowdStrike shares never deserved to be that low, but a move like that must be respected.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 4 June 2025
Definition of respect
Verb
  • Designing and planning your garden requires thinking about when and what to grow.
    — Lauren David, Southern Living, 1 June 2025
  • The fire is thought to have originated from natural causes.
    — CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 1 June 2025
Definition of think
Noun
  • Phoebe Merrick says living in New Zealand has given her a greater appreciation of work-life balance.
    — Jennifer Liu Zachary Green, CNBC, 5 June 2025
  • Environmental benefits also remain a key motivator, along with a growing appreciation for the smooth, quiet driving experience and the high-tech features found in many modern EVs.
    — Melanie Marshall, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 June 2025
Definition of appreciation
Verb
  • The Mark Twain House is reportedly considering tie-in events during the run in August.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 30 May 2025
  • In addition, a Nissan spokesman confirmed that the company is considering offering EREV options in its mid-size and larger SUVs.
    — Joe D'Allegro, CNBC, 30 May 2025
Definition of consider
Verb
  • In an Instagram carousel shared on Wednesday, June 4, Popeyes posted a collection of posts from around social media admiring their marketing and swift movements.
    — Moná Thomas, People.com, 5 June 2025
  • The president’s Wednesday message about Xi echoes some of his past friendly and even admiring language toward the Chinese leader – one of a handful of strongmen that Trump has praised or lauded close relations with throughout his political career.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 4 June 2025
Definition of admire
Verb
  • The teen is believed to be from the Upper East Side, WABC Eyewitness News reported.
    — Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 31 May 2025
  • PwC’s 2023 Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey found that 39% of workers believe their job will be obsolete within five years, yet only 26% say their employer is supporting them to acquire new skills.
    — Sol Rashidi, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
Definition of believe

Browse Nearby Words

estate taxes
esteem
esteemed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Esteem.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/esteem. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on esteem

Nglish: Translation of esteem for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

'Bring' vs. 'Take'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

10 Hella Good U.S. Regionalisms

Some Data About 'Datum'

The Clinical History of 'Moron,' 'Idiot,' and 'Imbecile'
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All