SELF-ESTEEM Synonyms: 121 Similar and Opposite Words

self-esteem

noun

ˌself-ə-ˈstēm

Definition of self-esteem

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

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

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of self-esteem Overcoming these difficulties notably increases satisfaction and self-esteem. — Tracy Brower, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Lunch box notes are sure to bolster their self-esteem, sense of belonging, and your special bond with them for months and years to come. — Sarah Scott, Parents, 8 Aug. 2026 All that representation went a long way toward affirming my self-esteem. — Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2026 In a personal essay for Teen Vogue published in 2015, Tallulah shared how public scrutiny and online shaming led her to develop issues with self-esteem and substance abuse. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for self-esteem

Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-esteem

Noun

Stewart, while offering advice on ownership challenges, expresses pride and excitement for Briscoe, noting their relationship will evolve from idol/driver to friendly competitors.

— Greg Engle, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
And in doing so, everything gradually registers — the cadence of campus life, the pride pulsing through students and alumni, the weight of the institution’s history.

— Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of pride

Noun

Each of those positions experienced a boost of confidence or a seed of concern since players reported to camp three weeks ago.

— Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Redefining How Fashion Is Bought If the early wave of e-commerce was about access and the mobile era was about convenience, the next phase, agentic commerce, will be defined by confidence.

— Footwear News, Footwear News, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of confidence

Noun

Prioritize Lasting Placements Over Speed In staffing, speed is a vanity metric.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Most Popular In Oona’s bathroom the tiles are from Country Floors, the vintage mirror is from Venice, Italy, and the vanity is an antique chest that was converted to a vanity with fittings by Waterworks.

— Sara Ruffin Costello, Architectural Digest, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of vanity

Noun

Kristen does this with a voice that is authentically hers, inspiring all women to tap into their self-confidence.

— Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 19 Aug. 2026
Chuck Yeager had a vibe of self-confidence and a certain Americana that feels very Hal, and Kyle also has that in spades.

— Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of self-confidence

Noun

Among the areas covered by the new measures are backups, incident response, risk management and security assurance, with later phases requiring further testing of clubs’ ability to recover from cyber incidents.

— Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
While there were previous assurances under the Biden administration that the site would reopen once construction was complete, that does not appear to be the case now.

— Alexandra Mendoza, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of assurance

Noun

Ampadu’s tenacity in the tackle, composure on the ball and his long throw — an emerging weapon — all contributed to the team’s strong showings.

— Adam Crafton, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Willis showed good composure, arm strength, accuracy and decision-making, going 4-for-5 passing for 43 yards while leading the Dolphins on a 14-play, 93-yard touchdown drive.

— Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026