dismissive

adjective

dis·​mis·​sive dis-ˈmi-siv 

: serving to dismiss or reject someone or something : having or showing a disdainful attitude toward someone or something regarded as unworthy of serious attention

He responded to the question with a dismissive wave.

In the past, Westerberg had been dismissive of Bob's playing, but he says relistening to the early records gave him a new perspective.

—Bob Weir

dismissively adverb

Writer Tom Fontana's violent, realistic drama debuted five years ago and uninitiated viewers still dismissively call it "that prison show on HBO."

—Ian Rothkerch

These are not people who speak dismissively of the brain's capabilities.

—Brad Leithauser

dismissiveness noun

The work of feminist scholars, both individually and collectively, has been greeted in some quarters with impatience, irritation, dismissiveness, even contempt.

—Cullen Murphy

Examples of dismissive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Athletic spoke to six agents with clients who either played for UNC or were pursued by the team in the portal; most described Lombardi as either abrasive or dismissive toward them during their negotiations. —The Athletic Colleges Staff, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025

In footage of actual bail hearings, judges are harsh and dismissive, even as defendants ask about the legal jargon being used to determine their fate. —The New Yorker, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2025

The criticism drew a sharp and dismissive response from Kelani Jordan. —Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025

While a January YouGov pollsuggests Biden’s unconditional support for Israel significantly affected Democratic voter turnout, Harris is largely dismissive of Gaza. —Book Marks september 25, Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1645, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dismissive

• derisive
• emissive
• permissive
• submissive
• transmissive
• missive