as in patronizing
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1
as in stooping
to descend to a level that is beneath one's dignity
I will not condescend to answer the sore loser's charge that I cheated in order to win the race
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cutting
to assume or treat with an air of superiority
wealthy people who tend to be condescending toward their poor relations
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of condescending
Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 10 Oct. 2025
That song is fantastic to me because… pet names can be very condescending.
—Jack Irvin, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026
Being condescending, far from being a virtue, is universally acknowledged as a vice.
—Timothy J. Pawl, The Conversation, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for condescending
Adjective
Much like a condescending Twitter mob, After the Hunt has access to academic concepts without the interest in humanity to back it up.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 10 Oct. 2025
That song is fantastic to me because… pet names can be very condescending.
—Jack Irvin, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
The suppurating contempt Sheridan feels for the Big Apple oozes its way through much of the series, its condescending pus infecting stunning vistas, swelling musical compositions and at least one award-worthy performance, courtesy of Michelle Pfeiffer.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026
Being condescending, far from being a virtue, is universally acknowledged as a vice.
—Timothy J. Pawl, The Conversation, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for condescending
Recent Examples of Synonyms for condescending
Adjective
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John’s patronizing, congratulatory tone with regard to Weisz’s character’s dalliance with Vlad doesn’t help.—
Meg Walters,
Glamour,
9 Mar. 2026
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Also, a 2021 study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research documented hostile environments in economics seminars, with female presenters experiencing more interruptions and encountering more patronizing behavior.—
Yana van der Meulen Rodgers,
The Conversation,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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High-torque joints in the waist enable deep squatting and stooping, supporting operations that require strength and flexibility.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Nov. 2025
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Dier was stooping slightly but the Portuguese midfielder’s leg was at least chest-high.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Not even the pork choppers were as arrogant and scornful of voting rights as the current mob.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 May 2026
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Of course, David went on to build one of the most illustrious careers in television with characters who are often arrogant, petty and unlikable by traditional media standards.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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After being expelled from Brown University for sneaking a coed into his room, Turner came to Atlanta to work as an account executive for his domineering father’s billboard company, Turner Advertising.—
David Bauder,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
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After being expelled from Brown University, Turner came to Atlanta to work for his domineering father’s billboard company, Turner Advertising.—
David Bauder,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
Adjective
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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
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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,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Running Furrever Friends is Brandi (Amy Sedaris), a bossy little Shih Tzu, and her owner, Seth (Gil Ozeri).—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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The shark is a pleasing stand-in for a big bossy grownup, easily fooled.—
Elise Broach,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Characters are skewed not to create an evenhanded debate but to sensationalize one, with a young fact-minded novice looking to follow the rules is blindsided by a supercilious writer not willing to bend his vision to the needs of editors, fact checkers or even printers or distributors.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
21 Apr. 2026
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And now the supercilious Ivy League twits try to dodge the consequences of their woke follies.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
24 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Mantello wasn’t being impudent.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
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His first goal was pretty enough, an inch-perfect sidefoot just inside Donnarumma’s far post, but his second was a work of impudent art.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Condescending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/condescending. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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