1
as in disdainful
feeling or showing open dislike for someone or something regarded as undeserving of respect or concern
loutish tourists who are contemptuous of the ways and traditions of their host countries
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in slighting
intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value
contemptuous comments about the baseball team's pathetic showings
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contemptuous
Written by Fielding, Richard Naylor and Jon Brittain, the series followed the contemptuous life of the 18th-century highwayman, known in York, England, as a thief, poacher and killer but whose exploits have been widely romanticized in modern culture.
—
Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Jan. 2025
Trump seemed disinterested in and even contemptuous of Africa.
—John Campbell, Foreign Affairs, 12 Oct. 2020
Tamil Nadu’s leaders have long been openly contemptuous of Hindu nationalism, and their governing philosophy represents a powerful alternative to Modi’s worldview.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2025
The Supreme Court could potentially blow up this trend
The largest threat to the trend of fewer death sentences and executions is the Supreme Court’s Republican supermajority, which is often contemptuous of precedents handed down by earlier justices who Republican legal elites view as too liberal.
—Ian Millhiser, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
See All Example Sentences for contemptuous
Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Jan. 2025
Trump seemed disinterested in and even contemptuous of Africa.
—John Campbell, Foreign Affairs, 12 Oct. 2020
Tamil Nadu’s leaders have long been openly contemptuous of Hindu nationalism, and their governing philosophy represents a powerful alternative to Modi’s worldview.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2025
The Supreme Court could potentially blow up this trend
The largest threat to the trend of fewer death sentences and executions is the Supreme Court’s Republican supermajority, which is often contemptuous of precedents handed down by earlier justices who Republican legal elites view as too liberal.
—Ian Millhiser, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
See All Example Sentences for contemptuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contemptuous
Adjective
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Most Democrats and independents — 82% and 54%, respectively — said Trump was disdainful to Zelenskyy, while just 19% of Republicans thought the same.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2025
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Danielle Haim sings, more disdainful than saddened by the dissolution at the heart of the single.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
12 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Meghan Markle's Netflix Backlash Meghan's Netflix show earned scornful reviews not only in the British press, long the villains of Meghan and Prince Harry's narrative, but also among U.S. outlets that previously provided glowing coverage.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
Newsweek,
25 Mar. 2025
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The Nosotros people had returned Borja’s bribe money to him with no comment, only scornful silence, but the sting of the snub had not gone very deep.—
Charles Portis,
Harper's Magazine,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Now, however, Memrise charges $59.99 per month, which is insulting.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
16 Apr. 2025
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To compare the incident to a possible leak of a football game plan is insulting to the U.S. military members who secure and safeguard our personal freedom each and every day.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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That doesn’t portray a hero, but rather someone so arrogant as to invent his own law and appoint himself its executioner.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2025
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Fed Up in Illinois Dear Fed Up: Is Edie mean, arrogant, disobedient and rude in the presence of her parents, or has she been invited to spend time with your girls separately?—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Time to update: Apple has discovered hackers exploiting an iOS bug via malicious media files.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
16 Apr. 2025
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These emails might include malicious links designed to install malware or steal login information.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
FOXNews.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Another recommendation: Attacking Trump’s character, however abhorrent critics may find it, is futile.—
Garry Kasparov,
The Atlantic,
17 Apr. 2025
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Upholding their right to speak, however painful, affirmed a core truth: An America where even the most abhorrent speech is protected by law, rather than by power or whim, is ultimately a safer America for all.—
Ari Hart,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The 2023 Economic Report Of The President published in March of 2023 was relatively disparaging of cryptoassets and DLTs.—
Lawrence Wintermeyer,
Forbes,
5 Dec. 2024
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Prior to appearing on Cunningham's show on Monday, Huggins made more disparaging remarks about Xavier.—
Emily DeLetter,
The Enquirer,
10 May 2023
Adjective
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But this is the cruel and unreasonable state of this Administration's deportation policy.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
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Such evidence could support the view that incessant loud noise amounts to torture or cruel treatment towards cetaceans, in turn galvanizing support for a new right to be free from such harm.—
David Gruber,
Time,
24 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contemptuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemptuous. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
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