esteem

a feeling of great approval and liking an athlete who is held in great esteem by her peers Synonyms account, appreciation, admiration, estimation, favor, regard, respectRelated Words appetite, fancy, fondness, like, love, partiality, preference, relish, shine, taste, use; acclamation, adoration, adulation, approbation, deference, hero worship, homage, honor, idolatry, infatuation, lionization, praise, props [slang], reverence, veneration, worship; delight, enjoyment; amazement, awe, wonder, wonderment; enthusiasm, interest, passion; bias, prejudice; affection, attachment, devotion, passionNear Antonyms condemnation, disapproval, disdain, opprobrium, scorn; disappointment, discontent, disenchantment, disgruntlement, disillusionment, displeasure, indignation, unhappiness; aversion, contempt, disfavor, disgust, disinclination, dislike, disliking, disregard, distaste; hate, hatred, loathing, nausea, repugnance, repulsion, revulsion; abomination, antipathy, detestation; deprecation, displeasure, dissatisfactionAntonyms disfavor

1 to think of in a particular way I had esteemed the whole affair to be a colossal waste of time Synonyms account, call, count, consider, hold, look (on or upon), rate, reckon, regard, set down, viewRelated Words believe, deem, feel, sense, think; conceive, fancy, imagine

2 to think very highly or favorably of although the works of the Impressionist painters are esteemed today, they met with scorn when they were introduced Synonyms appreciate, consider, admire, regard, respectRelated Words acclaim, accredit, applaud, approve, commend, compliment, credit, praise; delight (in), drink (in), enjoy, relish, revel (in), savor (also savour); dig, fancy, favor, groove (on), like, love; adore, adulate, canonize, deify, dote (on), hallow, idolize, revere, reverence, venerate, worship; cherish, love, prize, treasure, valueNear Antonyms abhor, abominate, despise, detest, execrate, hate, loathe; condemn, decry, deplore, disapprove, discount, discountenance, disdain, disfavor, dislike, dismiss, disregard, frown (on or upon), kiss off, scorn, vilify

3 to have as an opinion I should have esteemed it most unlikely that their marriage had any chance of success Synonyms allow [chiefly Southern & Midland], conceive, consider, deem, believe, feel, figure, guess, hold, imagine, judge, reckon [chiefly dialect], suppose, thinkRelated Words regard, view; accept, perceive; depend, rely, trust; assume, presume, presuppose, surmise; conclude, deduce, inferNear Antonyms distrust, doubt, mistrust, question, suspect; disbelieve, discredit, reject