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 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 That’s good, because healthy friendships can make kids happier, improve their self-esteem and resilience, and protect against loneliness and depression. — Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for self-esteem

Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-esteem

Noun

Johnson took pride in the team having only two penalties after emphasizing being disciplined on all three sides of the ball.

— Kevin Fishbain, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Intense pride in their home has resulted in both protective zoning codes and an inbred reluctance to sell.

— Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of pride

Noun

Unlike other music expert podcasts, this one is stripped of any mansplaining or ego — picture just a bunch of music lovers in a room, sitting by a fire and going deep on how young Bob Weir’s vocals sounded in 1970.

— Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 16 Aug. 2026
Under the black cape, trash can helmet and ample body armor straight out of a low-budget sci-fi film, Binface’s alter-ego is Jon Harvey, a middle-aged comedian who has spent much of the campaign trying to keep his cool during a sweltering summer.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of ego

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