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

This reflects how even well-meaning problem-solving, if dispensed in a way that isn’t emotionally attuned, can feel dismissive. —Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025

So, designing the model's apparent personality to be positive and supportive makes sense—people are less likely to use an AI that comes off as harsh or dismissive. —ArsTechnica, 29 Apr. 2025

Some of us suspected this was coming last year when Jules got all starstruck over the cardio attendings and later told Winston off for being dismissive about professional cuddlers. —Laura Bradley, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025

In the musical, much of that exchange still happens but not with its original dismissive punchline. —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 30 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1645, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dismissive

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