as in to disdain
to show contempt for
arrogant critics who contemn the general public's taste in art
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Recent Examples of contemn
Consequently, the Sadrists were contemned and discounted by Iraq’s liberal elite who form the core of the ICP.
—
Benedict Robin, Washington Post, 7 June 2018
Benedict Robin, Washington Post, 7 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contemn
Verb
-
California’s Democratic establishment disdains Citizen Pratt.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Lewis Wedlock, a social psychologist specializing in masculinities, notes that the term is especially cutting when a man uses it to refer to another man, which can imply disdain for his authenticity and his submission in pandering to women.—
Ashleigh N. DeLuca,
Parents,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, her sister Bree (Lynch) hates the thought of motherhood.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
27 Oct. 2025
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In the clip, White jokes about hating Reynolds.—
Victoria Edel,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The premiere episode opens with Colter starting a brawl in a small town bar after another patron disrespects the bartender.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
19 Oct. 2025
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From disrespecting local customs to getting pickpocketed, to forgetting to reapply sunscreen to overpacking, European tour guides have truly seen it all.—
Jillian Dara,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Both brothers despise their father, for good reason.—
Karl Ove Knausgaard,
New Yorker,
21 Oct. 2025
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The fact that the film is named after its subject’s most beloved — and most despised by Hart himself — hit tells you everything.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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It’s scorned Donald, who saw that scoundrel Lee leaving his mistress’s house this morning.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
15 Oct. 2025
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Hell hath no fury like… an ex scorned?—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contemn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemn. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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