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
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In Sondheim’s body of work, Okrent searches for the autobiographical resonances that Sondheim himself mostly disdained.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
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Because that man is going out of his way to remind everyone why, exactly, he is universally disdained.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The astronauts famously hated the bagged-poop approach.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2026
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And what little that gets done is highly partisan and generally hated by the other side and is then attacked relentlessly when the other side regains power.—
Matt Fleming,
Oc Register,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The guard then went to Ada’s table and — according to the girl’s parents — spoke to Ada and her mother aggressively about disrespecting and harassing people.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
26 Mar. 2026
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In contrast, his wife, Chandravati, is selfish as a daughter-in-law and disrespects Swasthani, leading to enormous misery for her.—
Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz,
The Conversation,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Though Brigitta despises him, Maria shelters him.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
1 Apr. 2026
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Iowans despised slavery, treasured 'radical experiment' Thirteen Iowans died and 141 were wounded in the rout of the Union forces at Wilson's Creek.—
Bill Steiden,
Des Moines Register,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The hypocrisy is especially rank as RFK pushes the Food and Drug Administration to loosen restrictions on peptides, an experimental fad among wellness influencers who scorn traditional medicine.—
Editorial Board,
Washington Post,
24 Mar. 2026
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Brenda's right to call it out, and Mac’s 'Brenda scorned' joke was the perfect touch of humor to a stressful situation.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contemn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemn. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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