deigned; deigning; deigns
: 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
Carol Vogel
: to condescend to give or offer
… never so much as deigning a glance …—George Meredith
George MeredithExamples of deign in a Sentence
I wouldn't deign to answer that absurd accusation.
Recent Examples on the Web
The government’s reaction seemed more like a tantrum over the fact that anyone would deign to limit its power, rather than a national security imperative.
—Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 6 Mar. 2026
Early February in Norway is no joke; the icy wind will chill your bones, even when the sun deigns to shine.
—Joy Williams, The Dial, 3 Mar. 2026
Condescension, the most surprising of the three, now suggests someone deigning to speak down from their lofty height.
—Timothy J. Pawl, The Conversation, 23 Feb. 2026
Later in the film, as Cristian’s father disappears for long stretches of time seeking temporary work, Cristian pulls out a child-sized onesie from the closet in Olga’s guest room; her face collapses, her reaction indicating some palpable trauma the filmmaker doesn’t deign to overexplain.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deign
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 6 Mar. 2026
Early February in Norway is no joke; the icy wind will chill your bones, even when the sun deigns to shine.
—Joy Williams, The Dial, 3 Mar. 2026
Condescension, the most surprising of the three, now suggests someone deigning to speak down from their lofty height.
—Timothy J. Pawl, The Conversation, 23 Feb. 2026
Later in the film, as Cristian’s father disappears for long stretches of time seeking temporary work, Cristian pulls out a child-sized onesie from the closet in Olga’s guest room; her face collapses, her reaction indicating some palpable trauma the filmmaker doesn’t deign to overexplain.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deign
Cite this Entry
“Deign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deign. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
deign
verb
: to think proper to one's dignity
did not deign to reply to the rude remark
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
