esteem

American  

[ih-steem] / ɪˈstim /

verb (used with object)

1. to regard highly or favorably; regard with respect or admiration.

   I esteem him for his honesty.

   Synonyms:

   respect, revere, honor

   Antonyms:

   disdain

2. to consider as of a certain value or of a certain type; regard.

   I esteem it worthless.

3. Obsolete. to set a value on; appraise.

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noun

1. favorable opinion or judgment; respect or regard.

   to hold a person in esteem.

   Synonyms:

   veneration, reverence, honor, admiration, favor

2. Archaic. opinion or judgment; estimation; valuation.

esteem British  

/ ɪˈstiːm /

verb

1. to have great respect or high regard for

   to esteem a colleague

2. formal to judge or consider; deem

   to esteem an idea improper

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noun

1. high regard or respect; good opinion

2. archaic judgment; opinion

Usage

What are other ways to say esteem? If you esteem someone, you hold them in high regard. How is esteem different from appreciate, value, and prize? Find out on Thesaurus.com. 

Related Words

See respect.

Other Word Forms

• esteemed adjective
• preesteem verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of esteem

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English estemen, from Middle French estimer, from Latin aestimāre “to fix the value of”

Explanation

Esteem is all about respect and admiration. If you have high self-esteem, it means you like yourself. When you say, "My esteemed colleagues," you are saying you have nothing but the highest respect for them. Esteem derives from the same Latin word that gives us estimate, and back in the day, esteem, like estimate meant "to assess, or judge the value of something." That sense lingers today. When you say you hold someone in high esteem, it means you give them a high value. Unless you're a politician, in which case, when you say, "I hold my opponent in high esteem," you are most likely to follow that statement with a big "But...."

Example Sentences

Most countries hold us in remarkably lower esteem today than they did a year ago.

From Slate • Apr. 22, 2026

Not too long ago, “Bridgerton” was held in the highest esteem in the meeting place between TV fantasy and drab reality.

From Salon • Mar. 4, 2026

There are storylines wherever you look with O'Neill, such is his history with Celtic and the esteem in which he is held by fellow managers and both former and current players.

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2026

Born in El Paso, Gloria grew up in L.A.’s Eastside in a family where John F. Kennedy was held in such esteem that one of her nieces was named Jacqueline.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 5, 2025

Generally speaking, men are held in great esteem in all parts of the world, so why shouldn’t women have their share?

From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank

Related Words

• hold dear
• revere
• value
• venerate