self-esteem

self-esteem — noun

1. the way you feel about your own value and abilities — whether you see yourself a

1.nounB1
Definition

the way you feel about your own value and abilities — whether you see yourself as worthy, capable, and deserving of respect

Example

Nkechi's self-esteem grew after she finished the difficult project on time.

self-esteem grew — following achievement

Constant criticism from a parent can damage a child's self-esteem for years.

collocation: damage someone's self-esteem

Common collocations
  • high self-esteem
  • low self-esteem
  • fragile self-esteem
  • boost someone's self-esteem
  • damage someone's self-esteem
  • build self-esteem
  • raise self-esteem
  • shatter someone's self-esteem
Synonyms
  • self-respect

    closer to dignity and moral principles — you can lose self-respect by doing something shameful, while self-esteem is about overall self-worth

  • self-worth

    nearly identical in meaning, often used in the same contexts; slightly more focused on inherent value as a person

  • self-confidence

    more about trust in your specific abilities (public speaking, taking exams) rather than your general sense of value

  • dignity

    broader — refers to being worthy of respect, especially in difficult or humiliating situations

Antonyms
  • insecurity

    a lasting feeling of uncertainty about your own worth or abilities

  • self-doubt

    a lack of confidence or trust in yourself, often in specific situations

Grammar Patterns

someone's self-esteem

boost/build/raise/damage/lower self-esteem

Usage Note

Uncountable noun. Often used with possessive determiners (his, her, their) and modifying adjectives such as high, low, fragile, and poor. Common verb collocations fall into two groups: those that increase it (boost, build, raise, strengthen) and those that reduce it (damage, lower, shatter, undermine).

Common Mistakes

She has a low self-esteem.
She has low self-esteem.
Self-esteem is an uncountable noun, so it does not take an indefinite article.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Self-esteem is the broadest of these terms, covering how much you value yourself overall — your abilities, character, and worth as a person. Self-respect is narrower: it relates to your moral dignity and the standards you hold yourself to; you might have high self-esteem but lose self-respect after betraying a friend. Self-worth is very close to self-esteem but slightly more abstract, emphasising a person's inherent value regardless of achievements. Self-confidence is different again — it is about trusting your skills in specific areas (giving a speech, taking a test) and can vary from one situation to another. For example, a musician may have low self-esteem in general but high self-confidence when performing on stage.

self-esteem ↗self-respect ↗self-worthself-confidence ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • self-esteem issues
  • self-esteem problems
  • self-esteem boost

Phrases

  • high self-esteem
  • low self-esteem
  • boost someone's self-esteem
  • build someone's self-esteem
  • damage someone's self-esteem
  • lack of self-esteem
  • fragile self-esteem

Etymology

Old EnglishOld FrenchLatinEnglish

Formed by combining self- ('of or relating to yourself') with esteem, which came into English from Old French estimer, from Latin aestimare, meaning 'to value, appraise, or judge the worth of something'. The compound self-esteem has been used since the 1600s to describe the value a person places on their own qualities and character.