respect 1 of 2

noun

ri-ˈspekt How to pronounce respect (audio)
Definition of respectnext
1
as in admiration
a feeling of great approval and liking I have a lot of respect for Martin Luther King, Jr.'s steadfast courage

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in regard
relation to or concern with something specified with respect to your application

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in regards
respects plural best wishes give your mother my respects

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

respect

2 of 2

verb

ri-ˈspekt How to pronounce respect (audio)
as in to admire
to think very highly or favorably of an upstanding senator who is respected by political allies and foes alike

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb respect contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of respect are admire, esteem, and regard. While all these words mean "to recognize the worth of a person or thing," respect implies a considered evaluation or estimation.

after many years they came to respect her views

When can admire be used instead of respect?

While in some cases nearly identical to respect, admire suggests usually enthusiastic appreciation and often deep affection.

a friend that I truly admire

When could esteem be used to replace respect?

The words esteem and respect can be used in similar contexts, but esteem implies greater warmth of feeling accompanying a high valuation.

no citizen of the town was more highly esteemed

When might regard be a better fit than respect?

The words regard and respect are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, regard is a general term that is usually qualified.

he is highly regarded in the profession

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of respect
Noun
There was more money in the arts, more respect for the arts and more arts coverage. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 French politicians claimed that the prime location in central Paris reflected France’s deep respect for Islam. — Shannon Fogg, The Conversation, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
The council has its own independent contribution to make respecting the unregulated sweepstakes machines. — Joe Ferguson, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 The underlying and often reiterated vibe is that this dude respects women and works out. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for respect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for respect
  1. admiration
  2. regard
  3. regards
  4. admire
  5. appreciation
  6. reference
  7. greetings
  8. appreciate
Noun
  • Sabrina is no Dolly, which isn’t a knock but a comment on the impossibility of any new artist ever enjoying the level of admiration and adoration that Parton did for most of her life.
    — David Kamp, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Rapper Eminem expressed his admiration and sorrow at never getting to meet her.
    — Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of admiration
Noun
  • With Adults, being funny is what matters most, and in that regard, this is a very promising premiere.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Judges have shown little regard for NCAA arguments about the competitive harm these decisions will have on current players.
    — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of regard
Noun
  • The plaintiffs argued the ballot language was misleading in several regards.
    — Joshua Ceballos, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Hosting the All-Star Game provides a unique platform to break new ground in both regards.
    — Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of regards
Verb
  • The Athletic reported on Sunday that Unai Emery’s side had made an initial approach to sign the 22-year-old defender, having previously revealed that Ordonez was highly admired and had been tracked by Villa.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • She was also widely admired for her philanthropy including her Imagination Library program, which has gifted more than 300 million books to children across the world over 31 years.
    — Joey Garrison, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of admire
Noun
  • Consequently, Shin believes the won has significant room for appreciation moving forward.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Dolly once said a return to roots kept her sane, and appreciation for music that felt like her bloodstream moved her deeply.
    — Martha Ackmann, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of appreciation
Noun
  • Hsu’s office aimed to avoid both early on by refusing to name a particular style, reference familiar restaurant archetypes, or let the project become thematic.
    — Alexis Benveniste, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026
  • All federal government references to the lake on agency maps, contracts and other documents must also reflect the renaming.
    — Joey Garrison, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of reference
Noun
  • Then, set aside about an hour to configure personal greetings and the IVR menu system.
    — John Brandon, PC Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Foreign ministry statements have focused on diplomatic meetings and greetings.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of greetings
Verb
  • Junior quarterback Aaron McCormack, who is the coach’s son and ran for a touchdown and threw a touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Justin Slaven, is among the teammates who quickly came to appreciate Harris’ talents.
    — Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • One shopper appreciated the cushy insoles, while another called out how surprisingly soft the leather feels.
    — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of appreciate

Phrases Containing respect

Browse Nearby Words

resources
respect
respectability
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Respect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/respect. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dissonant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All