1
as in pride
a reasonable or justifiable sense of one's worth or importance
friends and family have tried to help the shy child develop some self-esteem
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ego
an often unjustified feeling of being pleased with oneself or with one's situation or achievements
his towering self-esteem made praise from other people entirely unnecessary
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in confidence
great faith in oneself or one's abilities
the kind of self-esteem that a struggling actor needs to keep going in the face of constant discouragement and rejection
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of self-esteem
That way, researchers could break out of that paradigm themselves to identify the positive in the shadow, such as social influence and high self-esteem.
—
Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 20 Apr. 2026
Cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy have been found to be significantly helpful for building self-esteem and coping with difficult emotions.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026
Amanda oozes pick-me energy, unable to build self-esteem from within, instead begging for validation through desirability, something that will always be a slippery slope for someone in a monogamous relationship.
—Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
Specifically, pet owners enjoyed greater self-esteem, exercised more, were more conscientious and less fearful of forming attachments.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-esteem
Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 20 Apr. 2026
Cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy have been found to be significantly helpful for building self-esteem and coping with difficult emotions.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026
Amanda oozes pick-me energy, unable to build self-esteem from within, instead begging for validation through desirability, something that will always be a slippery slope for someone in a monogamous relationship.
—Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
Specifically, pet owners enjoyed greater self-esteem, exercised more, were more conscientious and less fearful of forming attachments.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-esteem
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-esteem
Noun
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But nothing has replaced the void left by mining, which, though dangerous and poorly paid, galvanized those who descended into the earth with working-class pride and purpose.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
6 May 2026
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For Sandra De Anda, the network coordinator for Orange County Rapid Response Network, which connects immigrants to legal help and runs a hotline to report ICE sightings, the poll results are a source of pride.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
In an era when youth sports can sometimes feel corrupted by money, pressure and adult ego, the Lee Corso Legacy Fund serves as a reminder of what sports are supposed to be about in the first place.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 May 2026
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And today, as young fighters begin to be compared to him, there is no ego—only gratitude.—
Jorge Ebro
May 6,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Weltman has confidence Orlando is an appealing job – largely thanks to its young roster that includes Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane and Jalen Suggs.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 May 2026
-
Tweens and teens look to each other for clarity and guidance on how to behave and how to feel, all the while gambling with each other’s social confidence and self-esteem.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Over the vanity hung a neon sign in curlicue magenta script.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Here there are a dual sink vanity, a roomy shower, and a soaking tub.—
James Alexander,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
Nevertheless, results have not been good and Riera’s self-confidence — which often manifests in quite brash media appearances — has placed him in opposition to a culture that is more conservative by nature.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
3 May 2026
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But Mari is also imbued with a deep self-confidence and appears largely unfazed by the seismic task of dealing with the most demanding woman in fashion.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
The pic is billed as being a feel-good story about music, self-respect, friendship, and the price of ambition.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Ground your choices in self-respect.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Just under 60% of business leaders say technology is key to their business strategy, according to a recent report by the advisory, tax, and assurance firm Baker Tilly, and some companies have pushed employees to fall in line.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Saturday said the agency had deep experience with the Andes strain of the hantavirus, offering assurance to the American public that there was low risk for a widespread outbreak.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
The Quattro system distributes power seamlessly and even on tighter downhill switchbacks, the vehicle maintained composure.—
Chris Jackson,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
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Mendoza wins with command, accuracy, red-zone efficiency and grown-man composure.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-esteem.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-esteem. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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