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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Kleinfeld disdains the concept of work-life separation.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
22 Aug. 2025
-
Even Netflix’s content factory is now licensing the very YouTube creators whom audiences once disdained as amateurs.—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
17 July 2025
Verb
-
Xiaoxuemeng Baggy Barrel Pants The pants have a curved seam that gives the legs that barrel or lantern-like shape that people currently love (or hate).—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Sep. 2025
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There were people who loved it, and people who absolutely hated it — most especially [former New York Observer critic] Rex Reed.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Angry Wave Sumrall suggested that Northwestern disrespected New Orleans when the Wildcats declined the Green Wave’s request to wear all-white uniforms without logos, like the 2005 Tulane team did in its first game after being displaced by Hurricane Katrina.—
Brett Martel,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Aug. 2025
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Never been thrown out of the game, would never disrespect an umpire.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Austen shows us how others might fear or despise her, then gives us the gift of the means and the courage to delight in her instead.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Sep. 2025
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Many people fear them, attack them, or despise them.—
Anna Tunkova,
CNN Money,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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While oud can be polarizing—prized by some for its longevity and scorned by others for its animalic bite—the version in this bottle is rounder, creamier, and more nuanced than your standard-issue oud oil, with a clarity that feels paradoxical given its depth.—
Adam Hurly,
Robb Report,
2 Sep. 2025
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In Splitsville, Julie is a wife scorned and ignored.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
22 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contemn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemn. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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