1
as in pitiful
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
the contemptible thieves who stole the Christmas gifts intended for needy children
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pathetic
deserving pitying scorn (as for inadequacy)
a contemptible attempt at science fiction by someone with no understanding of the genre
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in vile
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency
the contemptible behavior of the students who took part in the hazing
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contemptible
Civil-liberties organizations have defended neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan on the basis that, unless there is free speech for the most contemptible members of society, there cannot be free speech for all.
—
Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2025
Despite his more contemptible tendencies of the past decade, Chappelle is a tremendously gifted stand-up at heart, and these sprawling monologues are always exciting.
—Joe Berkowitz, Vulture, 19 Jan. 2025
Be open-minded and recognize that even a campaign opponent — even the contemptible Trump — can occasionally be onto something worthwhile.
—George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2024
Most Europeans find Donald Trump alien and contemptible and a man unsuited for the U.S. presidency.
—David Goodart, Foreign Affairs, 15 Aug. 2017
See All Example Sentences for contemptible
Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2025
Despite his more contemptible tendencies of the past decade, Chappelle is a tremendously gifted stand-up at heart, and these sprawling monologues are always exciting.
—Joe Berkowitz, Vulture, 19 Jan. 2025
Be open-minded and recognize that even a campaign opponent — even the contemptible Trump — can occasionally be onto something worthwhile.
—George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2024
Most Europeans find Donald Trump alien and contemptible and a man unsuited for the U.S. presidency.
—David Goodart, Foreign Affairs, 15 Aug. 2017
See All Example Sentences for contemptible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contemptible
Adjective
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Even the minimum requirement — qualifying for the Champions League — depends on it because six points out of a possible 18 away from home so far is pitiful.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
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With a release on just over 2,000 screens, that's a pitiful per-theater-average of $649.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Enter Claude Whelan, played by James Callis, a fine actor with a face that can contort itself into about a dozen different versions of misery and pathetic dismay.—
Brian Grubb,
Vulture,
29 Oct. 2025
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Ratcheting up the pressure on the pathetic Putin will be the only way this war ends.—
Chicago Tribune,
Twin Cities,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Players have faced vile fan reactions and even death threats for their failure to satisfy bettors in the moment.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
26 Oct. 2025
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The Minnesota Vikings condemned the vile racist message defensive back Isaiah Rodgers received following the team’s 28-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The flowers are the best, even if the leaves are lame and flop over.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
25 Oct. 2025
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Cut to Culhane doing lame bits with chopsticks as walrus teeth.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The growth of passive investing, through index funds found in the 401(k) accounts of average Americans, has propped up the stock market while also potentially setting it up for a nasty fall.—
Mark Dent,
HubSpot,
7 Nov. 2025
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Instead of this stuff that's raised overseas that's done in ways that doesn't have any checks, that it's got polluted water, it's being fed really nasty stuff, full of antibiotics, full of chemicals.—
Dan Morrison,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The Chinese retailer, known for its range of cheap ultra-fast-fashion clothing and criticisms of its labor and environmental practices, is nestled on the sixth floor of a more than century-old building in Paris, a city famous for high-end fashion and a recent green push.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
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The other side of this has been the money in the industry’s pivot first to cheaper talk shows, which don’t innovate enough to merit much critique, and now to a second pivot to turn those interview shows into video series, which makes podcasts more friendly on TikTok and Instagram and YouTube.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Bliss is said to have examined Garfield's wounds with unwashed hands and dirty tools, and the president's death further damaged his reputation.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Nov. 2025
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Solar power cuts greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution from dirty generators that can cause health problems.—
Jeff Young,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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In it, a batch of wealthy Chicago suburbanites one up each other in the wretched behavior department as a child’s welfare hangs in the balance.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
6 Nov. 2025
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When the din inside Rams Park had finally subsided, Arne Slot attempted to put a positive spin on a wretched night for Liverpool.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contemptible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemptible. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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