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deign

verb \ ˈdān \
|Updated on: 18 Jun 2018
intransitive verb
: 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

See deign defined for English-language learners

See deign defined for kids

Examples of deign in a Sentence

  1. I wouldn't deign to answer that absurd accusation.

Recent Examples of deign from the Web

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.

Origin and Etymology of deign

Middle English, from Anglo-French deigner, from Latin dignare, dignari, from dignus worthy — more at decent

deign Synonyms

Synonyms

condescend, stoop;

Near Antonyms

rise;

Related Words

abase, debase, degrade, demean, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, humble, humiliate, lower, shame;

DEIGN Defined for English Language Learners

deign

verb

  • : to do something that you think you should not have to do because you are too important

DEIGN Defined for Kids

deign

verb \ ˈdān \
deigned; deigning
: to do something a person considers below his or her dignity
  • The teenager deigned to play with his little cousin.

Learn More about deign

  1. See words that rhyme with deign Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for deign Spanish Central: Translation of deign Nglish: Translation of deign for Spanish speakers

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