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

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

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3
as in regards
respects plural best wishes give your mother my respects

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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

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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
In this respect, BIFF is also riding a positive trend as local cinema began to revive at the beginning of this year, following a long period of declining box office and audience apathy that held back post-pandemic recovery. — Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026 But this 69-year-old Italian American New York theater, film, and television actor has built affection and respect from his peers. — Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 5 Oct. 2026
Verb
Many companies can’t survive the loss of their founder, and Karpen, who was widely respected for his business acumen and personal warmth, was synonymous with Bleecker. — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 2 Oct. 2026 Palestinians are far more likely to be willing to respect Israel’s role in the region—as represented by its normalization of ties with other Arab states—when they, too, are allowed self-determination. — Michael Robbins, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 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
  • My admiration extends to the unerring precision of their filmmaking.
    — Justin Chang, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The work earned Barber the admiration of President Bill Clinton and became a best-seller in paperback following the 9/11 attacks.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of admiration
Noun
  • The Nielsen numbers for Season 3 are especially intriguing in that regard.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Artificial’s timeliness in that regard is striking, even disturbing.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of regard
Noun
  • Today chaos gives bad people the opportunity to advance their own nefarious agendas with little regards for the American people.
    — Gary Franks, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The plaintiffs argued the ballot language was misleading in several regards.
    — Joshua Ceballos, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of regards
Verb
  • Ellison is said to genuinely admire Weiss and her vision, which is premised on appealing to a silent majority of Americans who are not far left or far right, and being somewhat contrarian or against the grain.
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The Chicago White Sox first baseman took a couple of seconds to admire the blast, then tossed the bat and turned to his teammates in the dugout, yelling in excitement.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of admire
Noun
  • Deep appreciation to Francesca Esmay and Simone Estrin for their invaluable counsel during the preparation of this essay.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • This week heralds a new appreciation rite for the discerning reader.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of appreciation
Noun
  • By uniting Eastern cultural references, uncompromising craftsmanship, and conscious sustainability, Songmont continues to cultivate a distinct cultural identity and voice on the global stage.
    — Footwear News, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The expert panel also found insufficient data to set strict healthy reference ranges for the abundance of individual microbial species, and discouraged testing companies from offering therapeutic advice based on results.
    — Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of reference
Noun
  • The service From the lilting sawatdeekas to the wai greetings at every turn—the service here is textbook Thai.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • About a half hour later, Faulkner and Sumrall embraced in the locker room hallway, one of the head honcho’s many greetings.
    — Noah White, Miami Herald, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of greetings
Verb
  • The combined engineering of spatial, acoustic and visual experiences is, perhaps, still not fully appreciated.
    — Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Over the course of Fincher’s deal, Hollywood has come to appreciate the cultural currency that a major theatrical rollout can offer.
    — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of appreciate

Phrases Containing respect

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resources
respect
respectability
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Cite this Entry

“Respect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/respect. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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