esteemed
Americanadjective
verb
Other Word 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.
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
Being the onstage voice of esteemed auteurs is a privilege Cheng takes seriously, especially when a director’s fans come up to him.
From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 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
When DI Glyn Walsh returns unexpectedly early from bereavement leave, he and DS Sion Dearden work together to solve the perplexing murder of an esteemed university professor.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
It emerged in seeps along riverbanks, where it was blotted up with blankets to be made into patent medicines esteemed for their value to cure everything from scrofula to diarrhea.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
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.
