contumelious

adjective

ˌkän-tü-ˈmē-lē-əs How to pronounce contumelious (audio)
Definition of contumeliousnext
as in abusive
marked by harsh insulting language a well-reasoned thesis that merited more than just a scornful, contumelious response

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for contumelious
  1. abusive
  2. insulting
  3. outrageous
  4. obscene
Adjective
  • Leaving an abusive situation is already incredibly difficult.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The show not only plays Manchester’s death for laughs but also depicts her as physically abusive and exploitative of Sullivan.
    — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of abusive
Adjective
  • Some job seekers say AI interviews can feel impersonal, stilted, and downright insulting.
    — Sarah Jackson Juhohn Lee, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Even more insulting was the cold, transactional nature of the intrusion.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of insulting
Adjective
  • Jay cites the scene in which Tommy DeVito (played by Joe Pesci) threatens Billy Batts (Frank Vincent) with increasingly outrageous acts of violence, turning the mobster’s menace into dark comedy.
    — John Kennedy, VIBE.com, 30 Sep. 2026
  • SpaceX thinks this recovery strategy will enable fast and efficient reuse, allowing the company to achieve seemingly outrageous launch cadences.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of outrageous
Adjective
  • Current Florida law says a school district can review and remove a book after a complaint has been made that a book is pornographic, obscene or isn’t age appropriate.
    — Ana Goñi-Lessan, Sun Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Created under O’Hare’s leadership, the decorum policy prohibits personal attacks, impertinent, profane, obscene, or slanderous remarks as well as threatening, disruptive or unruly behavior.
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of obscene
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

contumacy
contumelious
contuse
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Cite this Entry

“Contumelious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contumelious. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

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