disdained; disdaining; disdains
Synonyms
Examples of disdain in a Sentence
Noun
McCarthy's indifference to accolades and his disdain for grandstanding … turned into a disdain even for being understood.
—
Louis Menand, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2004
There is fierce disdain within the Pentagon for the passive U.N. peacekeepers who stood by while thousands were murdered in Bosnia's ethnic cleansing.
—Joe Klein, Time, 24 Nov. 2003
But for all its playful love of puns and cool disdain for "suits," the high-tech world is, at heart, a cruel, unforgiving place ruled by the merciless dynamics of the marketplace.
—Michiko Kakutani, New York Times, 27 June 2002
He regarded their proposal with disdain.
I have a healthy disdain for companies that mistreat their workers.
Verb
The right eyes him [Thomas Jefferson] suspiciously as a limousine Jacobin so enamored of revolution that he once suggested we should have one every 20 years. The left disdains him as your basic race hypocrite.
—Charles Krauthammer, Time, 22 May 2000
Only in our last days on the peninsula (the arm of Antarctica that polar scientists disdain as the "Banana Belt") did we see our first frozen sea …
—Kate Ford, Wall Street Journal, 12 June 1998
His vehicle would be a form he both enjoyed and disdained—pulp fiction.
—Henry Louis Gates, Jr., New York Times Book Review, 20 Sept. 1992
There is also evidence of epic womanizing that Mr. Schickel mentions but loftily announces that he disdains to tell us about.
—Camille Paglia, New York Times Book Review, 21 July 1991
They disdained him for being weak.
She disdained to answer their questions.
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Louis Menand, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2004
There is fierce disdain within the Pentagon for the passive U.N. peacekeepers who stood by while thousands were murdered in Bosnia's ethnic cleansing.
—Joe Klein, Time, 24 Nov. 2003
But for all its playful love of puns and cool disdain for "suits," the high-tech world is, at heart, a cruel, unforgiving place ruled by the merciless dynamics of the marketplace.
—Michiko Kakutani, New York Times, 27 June 2002
He regarded their proposal with disdain.
I have a healthy disdain for companies that mistreat their workers.
Verb
The right eyes him [Thomas Jefferson] suspiciously as a limousine Jacobin so enamored of revolution that he once suggested we should have one every 20 years. The left disdains him as your basic race hypocrite.
—Charles Krauthammer, Time, 22 May 2000
Only in our last days on the peninsula (the arm of Antarctica that polar scientists disdain as the "Banana Belt") did we see our first frozen sea …
—Kate Ford, Wall Street Journal, 12 June 1998
His vehicle would be a form he both enjoyed and disdained—pulp fiction.
—Henry Louis Gates, Jr., New York Times Book Review, 20 Sept. 1992
There is also evidence of epic womanizing that Mr. Schickel mentions but loftily announces that he disdains to tell us about.
—Camille Paglia, New York Times Book Review, 21 July 1991
They disdained him for being weak.
She disdained to answer their questions.
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Recent Examples on the WebSteve Mollman, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2023
The fact that Johnson represents a combination of the GOP’s most repulsive qualities—Donald Trump’s disdain for democracy, Paul Ryan’s economic program, Mike Pence’s religiosity—was also an asset: Everyone in the caucus could find something to love in the mild-mannered Louisianan.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 2 Nov. 2023
This included evidence suggesting the former crypto mogul cultivated a humble, do-gooder persona that obscured an appetite for luxury and a disdain for colleagues, followers and policymakers.
—Tory Newmyer, Washington Post, 31 Oct. 2023
She has been outspoken in her disdain over an impeachment inquiry into Biden.
—Jenny Goldsberry, Washington Examiner, 5 Nov. 2023
Johnson has been outspoken about his disdain for the Republican National Committee and chair Ronna McDaniel after failing to qualify for the first GOP debate.
—Alex Tabet, NBC News, 20 Oct. 2023
Local residents gave their opinion on the Trump statue, which ranged from admiration to disdain.
—Alex Heigl, Peoplemag, 17 Oct. 2023
How Francis would do that, or what such a body would look like, is unclear, but what comes across clearly is the pope’s disdain for climate change deniers.
—Elisabetta Povoledo, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2023
Diplomatically, former President Donald Trump’s disdain for U.S. allies, his fondness for authoritarian leaders, his willingness to sow doubt about the United States’ commitment to its NATO allies, and his generally erratic behavior undermined U.S. credibility and respect across the globe.
—Robert M. Gates, Foreign Affairs, 29 Sep. 2023
Maura Farrelly, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Sep. 2023
Lenin and Stalin disdained their softness: the end always justified the means.
—Time, 24 Aug. 2023
For the most part my efforts at sculpting a musical identity were fueled by an esotericism that disdained common and easily accessible genres.
—Justin E. H. Smith, Harper's Magazine, 14 Aug. 2023
Stutzman, who was widely quoted during the 2016 campaign disdaining the GOP front-runner, recalls spotting Bera that year at a French restaurant in downtown Sacramento.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2023
The offerings skew look-at-me; Baker disdains the current moment of minimalism and quiet luxury.
—Véronique Hyland, ELLE, 17 July 2023
And not just your Folgers-drinking grandparents but venture capitalists, third-wave coffee roasters and aficionados who formerly might have disdained it.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2023
But historians like Harris say most slaves disdained the type of Christianity that was taught to them.
—John Blake, CNN, 18 June 2023
Anyone who disdained the recommendations of Cramer and the other enthusiastic analysts on SVB and shorted the stock rather than buying would have made a healthy profit.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2023
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Noun
Buffett’s right-hand man at Berkshire, Charlie Munger, recently expressed his disdain for venture capitalists.
—Steve Mollman, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2023
The fact that Johnson represents a combination of the GOP’s most repulsive qualities—Donald Trump’s disdain for democracy, Paul Ryan’s economic program, Mike Pence’s religiosity—was also an asset: Everyone in the caucus could find something to love in the mild-mannered Louisianan.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 2 Nov. 2023
This included evidence suggesting the former crypto mogul cultivated a humble, do-gooder persona that obscured an appetite for luxury and a disdain for colleagues, followers and policymakers.
—Tory Newmyer, Washington Post, 31 Oct. 2023
She has been outspoken in her disdain over an impeachment inquiry into Biden.
—Jenny Goldsberry, Washington Examiner, 5 Nov. 2023
Johnson has been outspoken about his disdain for the Republican National Committee and chair Ronna McDaniel after failing to qualify for the first GOP debate.
—Alex Tabet, NBC News, 20 Oct. 2023
Local residents gave their opinion on the Trump statue, which ranged from admiration to disdain.
—Alex Heigl, Peoplemag, 17 Oct. 2023
How Francis would do that, or what such a body would look like, is unclear, but what comes across clearly is the pope’s disdain for climate change deniers.
—Elisabetta Povoledo, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2023
Diplomatically, former President Donald Trump’s disdain for U.S. allies, his fondness for authoritarian leaders, his willingness to sow doubt about the United States’ commitment to its NATO allies, and his generally erratic behavior undermined U.S. credibility and respect across the globe.
—Robert M. Gates, Foreign Affairs, 29 Sep. 2023
Verb
That many conservative Americans disdain government is undeniable in the wake of January 6.
—Maura Farrelly, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Sep. 2023
Lenin and Stalin disdained their softness: the end always justified the means.
—Time, 24 Aug. 2023
For the most part my efforts at sculpting a musical identity were fueled by an esotericism that disdained common and easily accessible genres.
—Justin E. H. Smith, Harper's Magazine, 14 Aug. 2023
Stutzman, who was widely quoted during the 2016 campaign disdaining the GOP front-runner, recalls spotting Bera that year at a French restaurant in downtown Sacramento.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2023
The offerings skew look-at-me; Baker disdains the current moment of minimalism and quiet luxury.
—Véronique Hyland, ELLE, 17 July 2023
And not just your Folgers-drinking grandparents but venture capitalists, third-wave coffee roasters and aficionados who formerly might have disdained it.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2023
But historians like Harris say most slaves disdained the type of Christianity that was taught to them.
—John Blake, CNN, 18 June 2023
Anyone who disdained the recommendations of Cramer and the other enthusiastic analysts on SVB and shorted the stock rather than buying would have made a healthy profit.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disdain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English desdeyne, from Anglo-French desdaign, from desdeigner — see disdain entry 2
Verb
Middle English desdeynen, from Anglo-French desdeigner, dedeigner, from Vulgar Latin *disdignare, from Latin dis- + dignare to deign — more at deign
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of disdain was
in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near disdain
Cite this Entry
“Disdain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disdain. Accessed 28 Nov. 2023.
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Kids Definition
disdain
1 of 2 noun
dis·dain
dis-ˈdān 
: a feeling of scorn for something or someone regarded as beneath oneself
disdain
2 of 2 verb1
: to look with scorn on
disdained us for being afraid
2
: to reject or refuse because of disdain
disdained to answer
More from Merriam-Webster on disdain
Nglish: Translation of disdain for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of disdain for Arabic Speakers
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