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
Feeling stigmatized can quietly erode self-esteem, increase anxiety and change how people behave in everyday settings.
—
Emily Tanner, The Conversation, 10 Feb. 2026
This builds health attachment between parents and their children while developing the child’s skills in language, socializing, thinking and self-esteem.
—Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2026
Sports fandom is 'part of your identity' Especially for diehard devotees, the emotional attachment fans have to their teams can be interwoven with hometown pride, family history, geographic loyalty, personal identity and self-esteem.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
Reading to a dog can increase a child’s self-esteem and confidence levels in reading, especially for struggling readers and helps to socialize guide dog puppies.
—Jeffrey F. Bill, Baltimore Sun, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-esteem
Emily Tanner, The Conversation, 10 Feb. 2026
This builds health attachment between parents and their children while developing the child’s skills in language, socializing, thinking and self-esteem.
—Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2026
Sports fandom is 'part of your identity' Especially for diehard devotees, the emotional attachment fans have to their teams can be interwoven with hometown pride, family history, geographic loyalty, personal identity and self-esteem.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
Reading to a dog can increase a child’s self-esteem and confidence levels in reading, especially for struggling readers and helps to socialize guide dog puppies.
—Jeffrey F. Bill, Baltimore Sun, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for self-esteem
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-esteem
Noun
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On the men’s side, Zuccarello takes pride in his country’s 19-year streak of appearing at the World Championships, and two Norwegians — Brandsegg-Nygård (Detroit) and Stian Solberg (Anaheim) — were drafted in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft.—
Peter Baugh,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
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Now, Bogaerts, who still keeps tabs on his old team, watches clips of Rafaela being a human highlight reel at his old stomping grounds with pride.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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But all options should be considered, using our adult egos.—
Harvey Levine,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
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Participants are urged to restrain harmful speech, dishonesty, anger and ego.—
Irfan Sarwar,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The market is decidedly not the economy, but enthusiasm from Wall Street helps pad retirement accounts, which can give consumers the confidence to spend their money.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
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Bridgeman doesn’t speak with arrogance but with a calm, aw-shucks confidence.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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With the world seemingly hell-bent on her failure, indulging in the vanities of self-adornment is of little importance to Linda.—
Daniel Rodgers,
Vogue,
22 Feb. 2026
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Lawrence is also a fan of incorporating a waterfall countertop on bathroom vanities or smaller kitchens with a peninsula countertop.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Setbacks are essential for personal growth, and without them, children may struggle with self-confidence when faced with difficulties.—
Jazmin Towe,
Parents,
22 Feb. 2026
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Matching Casey and Frank’s guile is Philomac’s untested self-confidence.—
Ritesh Mehta,
IndieWire,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Always uphold truth; self-respect comes from keeping integrity tight.—
Magi Helena,
Dallas Morning News,
15 Feb. 2026
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Your money can stretch further while your self-respect stays strong and steady.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Given the government’s refund assurances, however, the trade court put all the lawsuits on hold until the Supreme Court’s decision.—
Zach Schonfeld,
The Hill,
20 Feb. 2026
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Scores of vendors are owed millions of dollars after being stiffed for several years, even while Baker and his team gave assurances that all would work out and that the combination of Saks and Neiman’s would eventually thrive.—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Pearl recovered her composure sufficiently to suggest that perhaps her store did not carry anything in the young woman’s size.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
23 Feb. 2026
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Buoyed by raucous home support, the Thai star kept her composure under sweltering conditions and intense pressure to card a closing 4-under-par 68, finishing on 24-under-par 264.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-esteem.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-esteem. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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