respected

ADJECTIVE

esteemed

Synonyms

STRONGEST

admired appreciated beloved honored important

STRONG

valued

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for respected?

Terms that have much the same meaning as respected are well-respected and well-regarded (though both can be used to be even more positive). All of these words are used to describe a person who has a positive reputation. A respected member of a group like a team or business is often one who’s valued and appreciated. Esteemed can mean much the same thing as respected, but it’s even more positive. See the next section for other words that are also more positive than respected.

What is a stronger word than respected?

Calling someone respected is quite positive. However, there are some words that imply that people not only respect the person, but highly admire them. Words that capture this sense are admired and esteemed. Words that take this to an even higher level are celebrated, beloved, and revered. The word respected is sometimes contrasted with feared, as in There were many respected officers, and a few who were feared.

What is the opposite (antonym) of respected?

Some people are respected, and others… aren’t. Perhaps the most common (and polite) way of saying this is to simply say that someone is not well-respected or not well-regarded. Someone who is not respected is often someone who is disliked. Much stronger words include despised, detested, and hated. The word disrespected can be thought of as an opposite of respected, but the words are often used in different situations. Whereas respected is often a general description of how people feel about (or treat) a person, disrespected is typically used in specific instances, as in I felt really disrespected when you corrected me in front of everyone.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

respected

It’s a respected animal, nobody’s afraid of a horse, people love horses, horses signify beauty.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026

Sir Ian McKellen has led tributes to Sir Patrick Stewart following his death at the age of 86, calling him "the most respected and beloved actor of his generation".

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

There have been other ceasefires in the past, but these were generally not respected, Kherson resident Dima said.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

Israel went to work setting up dummy companies and even hiring a respected sales agent to pitch its own design to Hezbollah.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

But the Inuit did know, and among their descendants was a highly respected Inuit elder and schoolteacher named Louie Kamookak.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler

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