as in admiration
a feeling of great approval and liking
an athlete who is held in great esteem by her peers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in to respect
to think very highly or favorably of
although the works of the Impressionist painters are esteemed today, they met with scorn when they were introduced
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to think
to have as an opinion
I should have esteemed it most unlikely that their marriage had any chance of success
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of esteem
Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2026
By just about any measure this spring, only the big-bucks Dodgers and Blue Jays are held in higher esteem than the Mariners, whose payroll is lighter than the Rangers’.
—Kevin Sherrington
mar. 6, Dallas Morning News, 6 Mar. 2026
Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026
Leni Riefenstahl, the pioneering German director known to history as Hitler’s favorite filmmaker, is esteemed by many Hollywood luminaries, Quentin Tarantino among them.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for esteem
Noun
Oscars can shore up the industry’s low esteem.
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2026
By just about any measure this spring, only the big-bucks Dodgers and Blue Jays are held in higher esteem than the Mariners, whose payroll is lighter than the Rangers’.
—Kevin Sherrington
mar. 6, Dallas Morning News, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
But aren’t prophets esteemed precisely for their willingness to tell difficult truths to the people of God?
—Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026
Leni Riefenstahl, the pioneering German director known to history as Hitler’s favorite filmmaker, is esteemed by many Hollywood luminaries, Quentin Tarantino among them.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for esteem
Recent Examples of Synonyms for esteem
Noun
-
Let’s not confuse slightly horrified admiration for Irina’s determination with admiration for her as a person.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
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His remarks painted a picture of deep admiration for Murphy’s talent and range as a performer.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Lawrence, though, is widely regarded as a top-five player at his position, whereas Greenard falls around 15th among edge rushers in most meaningful metrics.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell made some comments Monday regarding MLB’s ‘two-way player’ rule, which currently only applies to the Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani.—
Michael Huntley,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Kids need to know how to ride on the right side of the road with the flow of traffic in bike lanes if available, to stop at all intersections and before entering the street, to respect the same traffic signals cars do, and to use their hands to indicate turns.—
Dr. Phyllis Agran,
Boston Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
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Those plans are evidence that the hospital says respect the past while also looking to the future.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And clearly, the Broncos did not think enough of the tight ends to be aggressive.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
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Those three weeks were bliss — not thinking about Spurs, not thinking about football, just getting on with life.—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The series’ earnestly naïve sound design (horses neighing, cars revving) only enhanced my appreciation of Joudrey’s sophisticated storytelling.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
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Among the many paying tribute to Thomas were those whose appreciation stretched back through his long career to his family roots in the thriving Yiddish theater scene of early 20th-century America.—
Penny Schwartz,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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If the particular coat isn’t available anymore, consider a gift card.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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Las Vegas has depth at the edge, making the Auburn product an interesting pick considering needs like offensive line, defensive tackle and wide receiver are still unfilled.—
Sam Warren,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The city’s slow pace invites you to get lost in its picturesque streets, admire historic churches, sample regional food, and even jump into a pristine cenote without leaving town.—
Regina Zumarraga,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Apr. 2026
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The piece is affectionate, admiring, and shamelessly tilted in his favor.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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There is the lamb-like dreamer, Wesley So, and the trollish Hikaru Nakamura, who believes that his unprecedented success as a streamer has secured him a greater legacy than any prestigious chess title would.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
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The University of Massachusetts poll, fielded among 1,000 Americans, found 74% believe there are more things uniting them than dividing them.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Esteem.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/esteem. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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