low self-esteem

4 synonyms and 3 antonyms for low self-esteem, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A persistently poor opinion of your own worth and abilities, showing up as harsh self-criticism, expecting to fail, difficulty accepting praise and putting other people's needs first.

Synonyms

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

insecurity

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

low self-worth self-doubt poor self-image

Antonyms

high self-esteem self-confidence self-assurance

How to use low self-esteem

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

suffer from low self-esteem boost self-esteem signs of low self-esteem low self-esteem in teenagers

Everyday and clinical alike. In psychology it describes a trait, not a disorder, and it is treated as a symptom or risk factor rather than a diagnosis.

Etymology

Esteem comes via Old French estimer from Latin aestimare, to value or appraise, so self-esteem is literally the value you place on yourself.

Full origin of low self-esteem →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between low self-esteem and low self-confidence?

Self-esteem is how much you value yourself as a person overall. Self-confidence is how capable you feel at particular things. Someone can be a confident public speaker and still have low self-esteem, because the two operate at different levels.

What causes low self-esteem?

It usually builds from repeated experiences rather than a single event: harsh or neglectful parenting, bullying, academic or workplace failure, discrimination, abusive relationships, or living with a chronic illness or mental health condition. Temperament and depression can also make a person more prone to it.

Is low self-esteem a mental illness?

No. It is a trait that appears in many conditions, notably depression, anxiety and eating disorders, and it can raise the risk of developing them, but it is not itself a diagnosis in the DSM or ICD.

People also searched

insecurity

Nearby words

← Back to the full definition of low self-esteem