self-worth

noun

ˌself-ˈwərth 

: a sense of one's own value as a human being : self-esteem

feelings of self-worth

a lack of self-worth

helping to build/develop self-worth

people with low/greater/higher self-worth

Too often, college students base their self-worth solely on their GPA.

—Marcia Morris

… jobs that gave them not only wages and health care and pensions but also a context, a sense of self-worth, a kind of identity.

—Lance Morrow

… a five-minute film that touches on themes of building inner strength and developing a strong sense of self-worth.

—Natalie Proulx

Examples of self-worth in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Research published in the European Journal of Social Psychology shows that people with obsessive passion tend to base their self-worth on their performance during an activity, which leads to self-esteem fluctuations based on their success or failure. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024

Helping children ‘get it right’ moves away from shame and guilt and toward feelings of positive self-worth and capability. —Kelsey Mora, Contributor, CNBC, 17 Dec. 2024

Therapists suggest focusing on personal growth, engaging in community activities or exploring new hobbies to restore self-worth and gain perspective. —Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 17 Dec. 2024

Setting Emotional Boundaries Around Work Separate your work outcomes from your self-worth. —Israa Nasir, TIME, 17 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

self-worth

noun

-ˈwərth

: self-esteem