esteemed
Americanadjective
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of esteemed
First recorded in 1545–55; esteem + -ed 2 ( def. ) for the adjective; esteem + -ed 1 ( def. ) for the verb
Explanation
If lots of people respect you and you're known around town as a wise and intelligent person whose opinion matters, then you're esteemed. Esteemed comes from the verb esteem, which means "to think valuable." If you are esteemed, then people think you're a valuable person to have around, and have a lot of respect for you. If you're hosting a dinner party with a special guest, an elderly man who has traveled the world and written many books, you could introduce him as your esteemed guest.
Vocabulary lists containing esteemed
A Raisin in the Sun
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Henry David Thoreau "Civil Disobedience" (1849)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"This was science in action!" esteemed melanoma surgeon John Thompson AO said in a statement paying tribute to his friend.
From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026
Ronald Lauder’s esteemed collection of German and Austrian art will be owned and operated by the Met starting in 2028.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
Immigrants lived near the mission, and esteemed Spanish Mexican families lived in large mansions around the churches that dot Old Town in the mid-19th century — many came post-Spanish-Mexican wars.
From Salon • May 9, 2026
The 36-year-old, who co-ran the esteemed Fulgurances restaurant in Paris and New York before opening Gigi's this month, said his pricing falls in line with industry standards.
From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026
I’ll go to the most esteemed music conservatory on the East Coast—the Juilliard School—and from there, it’s only a matter of time before I reach my ultimate goal: first chair in the New York Philharmonic.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
