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
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
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
Sara also noted to SWNS that pageants have boosted her daughter's self-esteem through the years.
—Lexi Lane, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026
As a result, your self-esteem begins to suffer.
—Kathy and Ross Petrass, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026
The Dodgers did wonders for both his ERA and his self-esteem.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-esteem
Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Sara also noted to SWNS that pageants have boosted her daughter's self-esteem through the years.
—Lexi Lane, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026
As a result, your self-esteem begins to suffer.
—Kathy and Ross Petrass, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026
The Dodgers did wonders for both his ERA and his self-esteem.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-esteem
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-esteem
Noun
-
Fans can expect this and more on her next release, and all pride aside— a B-sides version of her major label debut, with all due respect.—
Mya Abraham,
VIBE.com,
3 June 2026
-
Chef Sisca’s personal pride is the classic French omelette, served traditionally with asparagus, French feta, chive and pommes frites or salad.—
Jillian Dara,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
By catering to his ego, international leaders can persuade Washington to forget—or at least to ignore—past tensions.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
3 June 2026
-
Out of this evolutionary necessity, new ways of leading are emerging based on the consciousness of a connected self, that both embraces the ego and puts it in service of a bigger picture, a higher calling.—
Ginny Whitelaw,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
The service ethos is more discreet deference than chatty confidence.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Sam Levinson’s trust in me and belief in me instilled an immense amount of confidence into me.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
All to justify his vanity project.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
31 May 2026
-
The director describes him less as a young actor searching for a performance than as someone instinctively in tune with the character’s vanity, insecurity and swagger.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Venus will eventually enter Leo, shifting your focus toward money, values and self-confidence.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
1 June 2026
-
Over the evolution of the brand, there will be a lot more about the emotional aspect of skincare in your life and how that brings out your self-confidence.—
Celia Shatzman,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
That question should be asked with urgency, skepticism and civic self-respect.—
Christos Korgan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 May 2026
-
On the contrary, this synergy is here to reveal where stronger boundaries, greater emotional maturity and self-respect are needed.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
The government, which used the firefighting foam at 28 defense bases across the country, alleged 3M gave assurances the substance was safe to dispose of, biodegradable and nontoxic.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
28 May 2026
-
The government, which used the firefighting foam at 28 defense bases across the country, alleged 3M gave assurances the substance was safe to dispose of, biodegradable and non-toxic.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
With the quarterfinal in a frantic deciding set, Kostyuk gathered her composure first to win in one hour and 49 minutes, becoming the first Ukrainian woman to reach the last four at Roland Garros in the Open Era.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
-
The Wildcats scored three runs in the fifth as Regis Jesuit lost its composure on several plays, allowing Arvada West to gain momentum.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-esteem.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-esteem. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
