Synonyms

esteemed

American

[ih-steemd] / ɪˈstimd /

adjective

regarded highly or favorably; respected or admired.

Her teaching ability, leadership skills, and winsome personality made her a highly esteemed member of the school staff.

verb

the simple past tense and past participle of esteem.

Other Word Forms

unesteemed adjective
well-esteemed adjective

Etymology

Origin of esteemed

First recorded in 1545–55; esteem + -ed ² ( def. ) for the adjective; esteem + -ed ¹ ( def. ) for the verb

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.

Part of that is because modern and contemporary art, which were categories that were never that financially esteemed, 25 to 30 years ago, suddenly became hot.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

In doing so, she would join an esteemed group including Serena Williams, Martina Hingis and Steffi Graf.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

As well as sharing the screen with esteemed actors, Sir Jonathan says he also enjoyed working with up-and-coming Welsh talent as part of the ensemble cast.

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2026

“I don’t think I have a special sauce,” says Maisler, asserting she — like all of her esteemed peers — simply works tirelessly to expertly match the perfect actor to each part.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 5, 2026

The Barnetts belonged to a small elite group referred to by the esteemed black sociologist St. Clair Drake as “the Refined.”

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023