Meaning & use
self-esteem
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
the feeling that you are a good and capable person who deserves respect.
Grammar: No plural and no 'a': high self-esteem, not 'a high self-esteem'.
Patterns
- high self-esteem
- low self-esteem
- build someone's self-esteem
Her self-esteem grew after she passed the exam she had feared.
Teasing from classmates gave him low self-esteem for years.
Good teachers try to build their students' self-esteem, not damage it.
noununcountabledisapproving
a good opinion of yourself that may seem too high to other people.
Grammar: Uncountable; this sense is often slightly critical.
Patterns
- a sense of self-esteem
His self-esteem makes him unwilling to admit any mistake.
She spoke with a self-esteem that some found hard to bear.
Common combinations
- low self-esteem
- Low self-esteem stopped her from applying for the job.
- high self-esteem
- Children with high self-esteem often try new things more willingly.
- build self-esteem
- The club's aim is to build self-esteem in young players.
- damage someone's self-esteem
- Constant criticism can damage a child's self-esteem.
- a lack of self-esteem
- A lack of self-esteem kept him quiet in meetings.
Synonyms and how they differ
- self-respect
- Very close, but it stresses treating yourself with dignity and holding to your values.
- confidence
- More about trusting your abilities in a task; self-esteem is about your worth as a person.
- self-worth
- Nearly the same meaning, often used in counseling and psychology writing.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: self-esteem or self-esteemed? self-esteem or self-assessment?
self-esteem vs self-esteemed
This form is rare and not standard; use 'self-esteem' as a noun or 'self-confident' as an adjective.
self-esteem vs self-assessment
Self-assessment is judging your own work or taxes; self-esteem is how you feel about your worth.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'self-esteem' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Self-esteem' is uncountable, so it takes no 'a' and no plural. Option B uses it correctly; options A, C, and D treat it as countable.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “self-esteem”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.