noun / verb
esteem
ih-STEEM/ɪˈstiːm/
Respect or high regard for someone or something.
Her colleagues hold her in high esteem for her honesty.
Etymology
Appraising worth supplied the central idea: esteem first meant value or worth, then came to mean high regard. The selected sense expresses a favorable valuation of someone or something.
In context
Nigel clasped his captive’s hand to show his admiration and esteem, but Knolles shook his head.
More examples
- His years of service earn him the community’s esteem.
- I esteem her judgment, even when we disagree.
- She is widely esteemed for her research.
Forms
esteem · esteems · esteemed · esteeming
estimable adjective — Deserving respect for good qualities.
Similar words
- respect
- Can emphasize recognizing someone's rights or authority rather than admiration.
- admiration
- Emphasizes being impressed by particular qualities or achievements.
- regard
- Needs a modifier like high to clearly express esteem.