dismissive

adjective

dis·​mis·​sive dis-ˈmi-siv 

: serving to dismiss or reject someone or something : having or showing a disdainful attitude toward someone or something regarded as unworthy of serious attention

He responded to the question with a dismissive wave.

In the past, Westerberg had been dismissive of Bob's playing, but he says relistening to the early records gave him a new perspective.

—Bob Weir

dismissively adverb

Writer Tom Fontana's violent, realistic drama debuted five years ago and uninitiated viewers still dismissively call it "that prison show on HBO."

—Ian Rothkerch

These are not people who speak dismissively of the brain's capabilities.

—Brad Leithauser

dismissiveness noun

The work of feminist scholars, both individually and collectively, has been greeted in some quarters with impatience, irritation, dismissiveness, even contempt.

—Cullen Murphy

Examples of dismissive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Jones was dismissive of a question about whether the upcoming season could be his best yet. —Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025

For the United States and its allies in space, there are reasons to be dismissive of this. —Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2025

The dismissive hostility becomes clearer when Elizabeth’s stern sister Helen (a scene-stealing Sarah Peirse, with a growing significance in the tale) suggests that her sibling had two loves only: her home and Jill. —Tomris Laffly, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025

The dismissive July memo and Trump’s own subsequent attempts to brush aside inquiries about Epstein in press conferences caused an even bigger uproar on the right, with many MAGA loyalists calling for Bondi’s head and even criticizing the president for reneging on a campaign promise. —Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1645, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dismissive

• derisive
• emissive
• permissive
• submissive
• transmissive
• missive