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Self-esteem

n. hopeful, kind professional

What it means

A person's overall sense that they have worth and deserve regard.

Reach for it when naming healthy personal worth rather than confidence in one skill

Specific praise rebuilt Leni's self-esteem without pretending every attempt had succeeded.

Words to choose between 8

By register, from playful at the top to literary at the bottom. Tap a word to see when it fits.
everyday
warm
professional
  • Self-esteem (this word)
  • morale
formal

  • everyday

    confidence

    Fits when belief in capability is the useful focus

    Careful Confidence can rise for one task while overall self-esteem remains low.

  • everyday

    pride

    Fits when pleasure in identity or achievement is healthy and specific

    Careful Pride can become comparative or attach to one success rather than whole-person worth.

  • warm

    self-respect

    Fits when dignity and boundaries guide choices

    Careful Self-respect is expressed in conduct and need not feel like positive self-evaluation.

  • warm

    self-worth

    Fits when inherent value independent of performance is meant

    Careful Self-esteem may also include evaluation of abilities and social identity.

  • professional

    morale

    Fits when a group's or person's current spirit has risen

    Careful Morale changes with circumstances and is not the deeper construct of self-esteem.

  • formal

    assurance

    Fits when settled confidence shows outwardly

    Careful A socially assured manner can mask low self-esteem.

  • formal

    dignity

    Fits when fundamental human worth must be honored

    Careful Dignity belongs to everyone, while self-esteem describes a person's felt evaluation.

  • formal

    self-regard

    Fits when neutral academic language for one's evaluation is needed

    Careful In ordinary praise it can sound self-important.

Opposites 3

  • self-loathing
  • shame
  • worthlessness

Common phrases 3

  • healthy self-esteem

    Healthy self-esteem allowed Pedro to hear correction without humiliation.

  • low self-esteem

    Low self-esteem made every small mistake feel like public proof.

  • build self-esteem

    The mentor used real responsibilities to build self-esteem, not empty praise.

Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: AnotherFriendlyHuman, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated