SUPERCILIOUS Synonyms: 127 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'supercilious' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of supercilious are arrogant , disdainful , haughty , insolent , lordly , overbearing , and proud . While all these words mean "showing scorn for inferiors," supercilious implies a cool, patronizing haughtiness. // an aloof and supercilious manner

Q: When could 'arrogant' be used to replace 'supercilious'?

The synonyms arrogant and supercilious are sometimes interchangeable, but arrogant implies a claiming for oneself of more consideration or importance than is warranted. // a conceited and arrogant executive

Q: When would 'disdainful' be a good substitute for 'supercilious'?

While in some cases nearly identical to supercilious , disdainful suggests a more active and openly scornful superciliousness. // disdainful of their social inferiors

Q: In what contexts can 'haughty' take the place of 'supercilious'?

The words haughty and supercilious can be used in similar contexts, but haughty suggests a consciousness of superior birth or position. // a haughty aristocrat

Q: Where would 'insolent' be a reasonable alternative to 'supercilious'?

While the synonyms insolent and supercilious are close in meaning, insolent implies contemptuous haughtiness. // ignored by an insolent waiter

Q: When is 'lordly' a more appropriate choice than 'supercilious'?

Although the words lordly and supercilious have much in common, lordly implies pomposity or an arrogant display of power. // a lordly condescension

Q: When is it sensible to use 'overbearing' instead of 'supercilious'?

The words overbearing and supercilious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, overbearing suggests a tyrannical manner or an intolerable insolence. // an overbearing supervisor

Q: When might 'proud' be a better fit than 'supercilious'?

The meanings of proud and supercilious largely overlap; however, proud may suggest an assumed superiority or loftiness. // too proud to take charity

supercilious

adjective

ˌsü-pər-ˈsi-lē-əs

Definition of supercilious next

as in arrogant

having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude the supercilious art dealer rolled her eyes when we asked if she had anything for under $1,000

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How does the adjective supercilious differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of supercilious are arrogant, disdainful, haughty, insolent, lordly, overbearing, and proud. While all these words mean "showing scorn for inferiors," supercilious implies a cool, patronizing haughtiness.

an aloof and supercilious manner

When could arrogant be used to replace supercilious?

The synonyms arrogant and supercilious are sometimes interchangeable, but arrogant implies a claiming for oneself of more consideration or importance than is warranted.

a conceited and arrogant executive

When would disdainful be a good substitute for supercilious?

While in some cases nearly identical to supercilious, disdainful suggests a more active and openly scornful superciliousness.

disdainful of their social inferiors

In what contexts can haughty take the place of supercilious?

The words haughty and supercilious can be used in similar contexts, but haughty suggests a consciousness of superior birth or position.

a haughty aristocrat

Where would insolent be a reasonable alternative to supercilious?

While the synonyms insolent and supercilious are close in meaning, insolent implies contemptuous haughtiness.

ignored by an insolent waiter

When is lordly a more appropriate choice than supercilious?

Although the words lordly and supercilious have much in common, lordly implies pomposity or an arrogant display of power.

a lordly condescension

When is it sensible to use overbearing instead of supercilious?

The words overbearing and supercilious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, overbearing suggests a tyrannical manner or an intolerable insolence.

an overbearing supervisor

When might proud be a better fit than supercilious?

The meanings of proud and supercilious largely overlap; however, proud may suggest an assumed superiority or loftiness.

too proud to take charity

Examples of supercilious in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Though emerging out of segregation, Black Greek-letter organizations, too, had supercilious standards for their members and rules about who could join. —

Jazmine Hughes, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024 The former focuses on man and nature (namely Navajos and Churro sheep); the latter, an ontological turn from Diné materiality toward Western enlightenment’s supercilious man-versus-nature divide. —

Petala Ironcloud, ARTnews.com, 9 Oct. 2024 That protest puts her in the crosshairs of the supercilious hospital bureaucrat Andrew (Simon McBurney), who seems very willing to throw Liz under the bus, particularly once those grieving parents complain to the tabloid press. —

Dennis Harvey, Variety, 17 Sep. 2024 Delia has grown warmer, wackier, and less supercilious; O’Hara, a genius of comedy, gives her a faint dash of Moira Rose dottiness. —

Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2024 Advertisement The supercilious elder sisters preened. —

Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2024 After appearing as supercilious EPA company man Walter Peck in Ghostbusters, Atherton completed his trilogy of goofy comedies with Real Genius (1985) and Bio-Dome (1996). —

Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 28 Sep. 2023 Once the Duke of Wellington shows up at Waterloo, the fact that he’s played with such supercilious glee by the perpetually sneering Rupert Everett comes as a welcome relief. —

Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2023 The death of John Mahoney, in 2018, robbed the revival of another beloved character, the Crane brothers’ proudly proletarian father; an audience surrogate, Martin regarded his sons with supercilious incomprehension from his lumpy recliner, beer in hand. —

Colin Marshall, The New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'supercilious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.