disdainful

adjective

dis·​dain·​ful dis-ˈdān-fəl 

: full of or expressing contempt for someone or something regarded as unworthy or inferior : full of or expressing scorn or disdain

a disdainful glare

is disdainful of all modern art

disdainfully

dis-ˈdān-fə-lē 

adverb

disdainfulness noun

Synonyms

• contemptuous
• scornful
• arrogant
• abhorrent
• malicious
• cruel
• fresh

Choose the Right Synonym for disdainful

proud, arrogant, haughty, lordly, insolent, overbearing, supercilious, disdainful mean showing scorn for inferiors.

proud may suggest an assumed superiority or loftiness.

too proud to take charity

arrogant implies a claiming for oneself of more consideration or importance than is warranted.

a conceited and arrogant executive

haughty suggests a consciousness of superior birth or position.

a haughty aristocrat

lordly implies pomposity or an arrogant display of power.

a lordly condescension

insolent implies contemptuous haughtiness.

ignored by an insolent waiter

overbearing suggests a tyrannical manner or an intolerable insolence.

an overbearing supervisor

supercilious implies a cool, patronizing haughtiness.

an aloof and supercilious manner

disdainful suggests a more active and openly scornful superciliousness.

disdainful of their social inferiors

Examples of disdainful in a Sentence

He looked at the waiter with a disdainful glare.

a disdainful attitude toward authority

Recent Examples on the Web

Talking about the huddle, one of his teammates just walked off the field inexplicably (Governor Kugler) taking early retirement and two others (Waller and Bowman) are openly disdainful of his play calling. —Bob Haber, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2025

For decades, the Academy seemed to keep Cruise at a vaguely disdainful distance, dismissing him as more of an action figure than a serious ack-TOOR. —Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2025

Danielle Haim sings, more disdainful than saddened by the dissolution at the heart of the single. —Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2025

Now, with Donald J. Trump installed in the White House, Mr. Zelensky is facing a new challenge: maintaining good relations with the country’s most critical ally and a president who has been disdainful toward him and skeptical of military aid. —Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see disdain entry 2

First Known Use

circa 1542, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for disdainful

• gainful
• painful

Kids Definition

disdainful

adjective

dis·​dain·​ful dis-ˈdān-fəl 

: full of or expressing disdain

disdainfully

-fə-lē 

adverb

disdainfulness noun