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
This directly clashes with Cooper's Chiron in Virgo — also in her second house, pointing to an underlying vulnerability around worth, whether financially, professionally or even self-esteem.
—
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 14 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
Positive self-talk is highly correlated with things like confidence, self-esteem, and feelings of competence.
—Joy Harden Bradford, AJC.com, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-esteem
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 14 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
Positive self-talk is highly correlated with things like confidence, self-esteem, and feelings of competence.
—Joy Harden Bradford, AJC.com, 2 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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
And, Muller said, there is no assurance Republicans would march in lockstep behind a plan to prevent the seating of Democrats.—
Mark Barabak,
Mercury News,
1 May 2026
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Somehow, McCarthy’s assurance makes these clichés seem new again, donning them as naturally as O’Connell’s gawky bellboy wearing an old-fashioned red cap.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 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
-
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 7 May. 2026.
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