← Back to Fala2Me

lower self-respect

[LOH-er self-ri-SPEKT]
verb phrase
diminuir a autoestima
1. to reduce or diminish one's own sense of dignity, worth, or pride
Accepting bribes would lower your self-respect.
Aceitar subornos diminuiria sua autoestima.
2. to engage in behavior that makes one feel ashamed or unworthy
She felt that lying lowered her self-respect.
Ela sentiu que mentir diminuiu sua autoestima.
NYC Slang
lose face; take an L
Synonyms
diminish self-esteemundermine dignitydegrade oneselfhumble oneselflower one's pride
Antonyms
raise self-respectenhance self-esteemboost confidencemaintain dignitypreserve pride

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
diminuir a autoestima
most common usage in Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
rebaixar a autoestima
alternative colloquial form
São Paulo
diminuir a autoestima
standard usage, formal contexts
Portugal
reduzir o amor-próprio
preferred term in European Portuguese

Related Idioms & Phrases

lose face
diminish one's standing
take a hit to one's pride
sell oneself short
demean oneself
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →