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
In 1995, this risky act helped the family secure the esteemed Payaso de Oro: the top prize at the International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo, an award comparable to soccer’s Ballon d’Or or music’s Grammy.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 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
Nothing makes a prince more esteemed than great undertakings and showing himself to be extraordinary.
From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli
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.
