deign

\ ˈdān

deigned; deigning; deigns

Definition of deign

: to condescend reluctantly and with a strong sense of the affront to one's superiority that is involved : stoop would not even deign to talk to him One iconoclastic architect, for example, doesn't deign to speak of bathrooms.— Carol Vogel

transitive verb

: to condescend to give or offer never so much as deigning a glance— George Meredith

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about deign

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of deign in a Sentence

I wouldn't deign to answer that absurd accusation.

Recent Examples on the Web Until recently its bosses did not deign to join earnings calls, set financial targets or host investor days. — The Economist, "Turntable Goldman Sachs bets the firm on a new identity," 30 Jan. 2020 Messi plays another deft but distinctly route one ball up top and Suarez deigns to get on the end of it before crumbling at the daintiest of touches from Marquinhos. — SI.com, "Barcelona 6-1 PSG: Remembering That Mad Midweek Miracle at Camp Nou," 30 Oct. 2019 Uses polygon alerts deigned to help reduce false alarms by alerting you to severe weather based on exact location within the county. — Leada Gore | Lgore@al.com, al, "Severe weather possible today: Best weather apps to track storms," 16 Dec. 2019 Chicago Magazine dining critic Jeff Ruby even deigned to review the food last year, tasting everything on the menu and giving praise to the Spicy Korean Bowl and Spinach and Pesto Bar-rito. — Alexia Elejalde-ruiz, chicagotribune.com, "A refreshed Protein Bar is hungry to grow, start franchising," 14 Nov. 2019 No, say pundits, who have since insisted that the fault for Warren’s evasion lies not with the candidate but instead with those who would deign to ask her such a question in the first place. — John Hirschauer, National Review, "Elizabeth Warren’s Tax-Hike Evasion," 16 Oct. 2019 Robert Fripp wouldn’t deign to come to the ceremonies even if King Crimson were in, but members of Yes, Rush and Jethro Tull have all said Fripp’s band should have been the first prog-rockers inducted. — Chuck Yarborough, cleveland, "Could Jann Wenner’s retirement open doors for prog rock and other overlooked bands? Chuck Yarborough," 25 Sep. 2019 Suter deigned to re-enter the public eye more fully in 2017, when documenta 14, the once-in-five-years contemporary art extravaganza in Kassel, Germany, deemed to be the world’s most significant, came knocking. — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, "Painter Vivian Suter emerges from decades of self-exile with bright, blissful works at the ICA," 29 Aug. 2019 And what about produce that’s so eccentric that even a farmer won’t deign to consume it? — Henry Alford, The New Yorker, "For “Ugly” Produce, Beauty Is Rind Deep," 29 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'deign.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.