as in abusive
marked by harsh insulting language
a well-reasoned thesis that merited more than just a scornful, contumelious response
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contumelious
Adjective
-
Her mother divorced her abusive father when Kaley was 3 years old and raised three children mainly as a single mom, Lanier said during jury selection.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026 -
Her mother divorced her abusive father when Kaley was 3 years old and raised three children mainly as a single mom, Lanier said during jury selection.—
Clare Duffy,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The discontent was more widespread, more vociferous and more insulting this time.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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Trump recently published an insulting social media post about Massie's wife, Carolyn Grace Moffa, that was reposted on X by Gallrein.—
Lucas Aulbach,
Louisville Courier Journal,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The bravura production and costume design are respectively by Suzie Davies and Jacqueline Durran, both correctly tipping the outrageous into the tacky.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Laxness was the heir not only to the language and setting of the sagas but to their humanity, their outrageous understatement and charm.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Weiner pled guilty to transferring obscene material to a minor in 2017 and spent 15 months in federal prison for the crime.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
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Texas Tech’s student section directed an obscene chant at Kansas’ Darryn Peterson as the freshman guard prepared to shoot a free throw late in the first half of the Jayhawks’ 64-61 victory over the Red Raiders on Monday night at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Honor is not, in Mr. Sommers’s view, without its opprobrious aspects, not least its association with violence.—
Joseph Epstein,
WSJ,
3 Aug. 2018
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Cite this Entry
“Contumelious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contumelious. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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