disdainful

adjective

dis·​dain·​ful dis-ˈdān-fəl 

: full of or expressing contempt for someone or something regarded as unworthy or inferior : full of or expressing scorn or disdain

a disdainful glare

is disdainful of all modern art

disdainfully

dis-ˈdān-fə-lē 

adverb

disdainfulness noun

Synonyms of disdainful

• contemptuous
• scornful
• arrogant
• abhorrent
• malicious
• cruel
• fresh

Choose the Right Synonym for disdainful

proud, arrogant, haughty, lordly, insolent, overbearing, supercilious, disdainful mean showing scorn for inferiors.

proud may suggest an assumed superiority or loftiness.

too proud to take charity

arrogant implies a claiming for oneself of more consideration or importance than is warranted.

a conceited and arrogant executive

haughty suggests a consciousness of superior birth or position.

a haughty aristocrat

lordly implies pomposity or an arrogant display of power.

a lordly condescension

insolent implies contemptuous haughtiness.

ignored by an insolent waiter

overbearing suggests a tyrannical manner or an intolerable insolence.

an overbearing supervisor

supercilious implies a cool, patronizing haughtiness.

an aloof and supercilious manner

disdainful suggests a more active and openly scornful superciliousness.

disdainful of their social inferiors

Examples of disdainful in a Sentence

He looked at the waiter with a disdainful glare.

a disdainful attitude toward authority

Recent Examples on the Web

His whole behavior toward women is so disdainful. — David Remnick, New Yorker, 17 June 2026

The popularity of e-bikes and e-motos has soared since the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving lawmakers and law enforcement scrambling to regulate the bikes that are often used by young riders ignorant or disdainful of the rules of the road. — Sean Emery, Oc Register, 22 Apr. 2026

In real life, Natalie is detached from her children and disdainful of her spouse, prone to violent outbursts as the farm spins out of her control. — Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026

British writers’ disdainful accounts of the Rathayatra led, metonymically, to a pejorative sense of a juggernaut as a massive crushing vehicle, which was later extrapolated to its present meaning in English usage. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see disdain entry 2

First Known Use

circa 1542, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for disdainful

• baneful
• gainful
• painful

Kids Definition

disdainful

adjective

dis·​dain·​ful dis-ˈdān-fəl 

: full of or expressing disdain

disdainfully

-fə-lē 

adverb

disdainfulness noun