1
as in disdainful
feeling or showing open dislike for someone or something regarded as undeserving of respect or concern
loutish tourists who are contemptuous of the ways and traditions of their host countries
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in slighting
intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value
contemptuous comments about the baseball team's pathetic showings
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contemptuous
Entirely contemptuous of legal precedent, his administration is more focused on instilling fear than on effectively decreasing crime.
—
Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 20 Aug. 2025
The lawsuit plaintiffs certainly don’t see any benefit to being represented in any capacity by an organization whose leaders are openly contemptuous of their faith, their values and their culture.
—Jeff Rhodes, Oc Register, 30 July 2025
At this point, the major labels are practically giving away disks, throwing them into large boxes, sometimes with lavish notes and photos, sometimes with contemptuous bareness.
—David Denby, New Yorker, 20 July 2025
This style includes contemptuous and mistrustful visages; blockily bunkered and narrowly fenestrated exteriors; and ludicrously lavish and coddling interiors.
—Brett Berk, Robb Report, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for contemptuous
Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 20 Aug. 2025
The lawsuit plaintiffs certainly don’t see any benefit to being represented in any capacity by an organization whose leaders are openly contemptuous of their faith, their values and their culture.
—Jeff Rhodes, Oc Register, 30 July 2025
At this point, the major labels are practically giving away disks, throwing them into large boxes, sometimes with lavish notes and photos, sometimes with contemptuous bareness.
—David Denby, New Yorker, 20 July 2025
This style includes contemptuous and mistrustful visages; blockily bunkered and narrowly fenestrated exteriors; and ludicrously lavish and coddling interiors.
—Brett Berk, Robb Report, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for contemptuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contemptuous
Adjective
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Talking about the huddle, one of his teammates just walked off the field inexplicably (Governor Kugler) taking early retirement and two others (Waller and Bowman) are openly disdainful of his play calling.—
Bob Haber,
Forbes.com,
3 Aug. 2025
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For decades, the Academy seemed to keep Cruise at a vaguely disdainful distance, dismissing him as more of an action figure than a serious ack-TOOR.—
Benjamin Svetkey,
HollywoodReporter,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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Trump’s reaction to Modi’s trip to Tianjin has been scornful, claiming that India is offering to drop all tariffs on American goods.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
2 Sep. 2025
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Trump, too, is scornful of what European diplomacy could achieve, declaring recently that Iran doesn’t want to talk to Europe.—
Garret Martin,
The Conversation,
15 July 2025
Adjective
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To educate all of them in similar ways is insulting, and silly.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Sep. 2025
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Perkins said the drink bore the insulting message.—
Victoria Moorwood,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Jack Cutmore-Scott as Julius Beaufort, an arrogant new money banker at the center of New York society with an interest in Ellen.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
2 Oct. 2025
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Jean stepped out as Nia approached—lean and arrogant, a cigarette pinched between her lips.—
David Wright Faladé,
New Yorker,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
4 Oct. 2025
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Lorena, now 55, was charged with malicious wounding, a felony offense, but was found not guilty by reason of temporary insanity following a two-week trial in early 1994.—
Mark Gray,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Those pushing for the firings have argued that teachers and professors with abhorrent views shouldn’t be allowed to influence students.—
Tyler Kingkade,
NBC news,
24 Sep. 2025
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Celebrating or excusing violence is abhorrent.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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And there would be lots of soldiers around, either Army or National Guard, and the people who were civilians would be young people, very disparaging about the military.—
Steve Baltin,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
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The 2023 Economic Report Of The President published in March of 2023 was relatively disparaging of cryptoassets and DLTs.—
Lawrence Wintermeyer,
Forbes,
5 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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That’s actually the cruelest thing about them.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
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The cold on August 27, 2011, was unprecedented—unbridled, utterly cruel.—
Mariana Enriquez
October 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contemptuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemptuous. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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