esteemed
C1Formal, respectful, professional.
Definition
Meaning
Held in great respect; highly regarded.
Used to convey a sense of formal respect or high social/professional standing; often a term of polite or formal address.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used as an adjective. While it originates from the verb 'esteem', it is almost never used in modern English as a verb form (e.g., 'I esteem you' sounds archaic). The term often implies respect that is publicly acknowledged or institutional.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Slightly more common in formal British contexts of address (e.g., 'esteemed colleagues').
Connotations
In both variants, it conveys high, often official, respect. Can sound slightly old-fashioned or ceremonial.
Frequency
Low frequency in casual speech. Comparable frequency in formal writing across both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[esteemed] + noun (colleague, guest, professor)[highly/widely] + esteemedVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[None directly. It functions as a formal adjective, not part of idiomatic phrases.]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in formal correspondence and speeches: 'We welcome our esteemed partners from overseas.'
Academic
Common in formal introductions, references, and journal titles: 'an esteemed scholar in her field'.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation. Might be used humorously or ironically: 'Would our esteemed dishwasher please load the machine?'
Technical
Not typically used in technical fields unless in formal acknowledgments.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (Archaic) He was a man whose judgement I greatly esteemed.
American English
- (Archaic) The quality she esteemed above all others was honesty.
adverb
British English
- (None - 'esteemed' is not used as a modern adverb.)
American English
- (None - 'esteemed' is not used as a modern adverb.)
adjective
British English
- We are joined by our esteemed colleague, Dr. Alisha Khan.
American English
- The award was presented by the esteemed professor emeritus.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The esteemed scientist gave a lecture at the university.
- She is an esteemed member of our community.
- The conference was opened by several esteemed figures from the world of diplomacy.
- His work has been published in the most esteemed journals in the field.
- Despite being widely esteemed by critics, the artist remained humble.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'STEAM' in the middle. A highly **esteemed** scientist might have a lot of **steam** (power, respect) in their field.
Conceptual Metaphor
RESPECT IS HEIGHT/WEIGHT ('highly esteemed', 'carries great esteem').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of 'уважаемый' in all contexts. 'Esteemed' is more formal. In emails, 'Dear...' is standard, not 'Esteemed...'.
- Do not use 'esteemed' to translate 'дорогой' (dear) in personal letters.
- The verb 'to esteem' (ценить) is archaic; use 'value', 'respect', or 'admire' instead.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a verb (*'I esteem your opinion' - use 'value').
- Overusing it in informal contexts where 'respected' or no adjective is better.
- Misspelling as 'estemed'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'esteemed' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is excessively formal and old-fashioned for most modern business English. 'Dear Sir/Madam' is the standard formal salutation.
'Esteemed' is a stronger, more formal term. A local volunteer might be 'respected', but a Nobel laureate would be 'esteemed'. 'Esteemed' often implies a public or official form of respect.
Primarily, but it can be used metonymically for things strongly associated with respected people, e.g., 'an esteemed institution', 'an esteemed journal'.
UK: /ɪˈstiːmd/ (ih-STEEMD). US: /əˈstiːmd/ (uh-STEEMD). The stress is always on the second syllable.