as in contempt
open dislike for someone or something considered unworthy of one's concern or respect
has nothing but scorn for newfangled ideas of any kind
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to disdain
to show contempt for
scorned the religious traditions of their ancestors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to despise
to ignore in a disrespectful manner
she scorned the advice of her ophthalmologist and had the laser eye surgery anyway
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of scorn
Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Nov. 2025
Her queerness, though, was rejected by her parents (Merritt Wever, channeling a withering scorn and a pious look that is cold and unnerving, and Ethan Embry as her conservative father).
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2025
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 Dec. 2025
And then there were some who, if willing to grant that the sneakers were real and from a future launch, scorned Staple nonetheless for continuing to fixate on a 20-year-old success much like a former high-school quarterback dwelling on his glory days.
—Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scorn
Noun
The letter’s tone was both-sides-y and scolding, earning immediate scorn—the pearl clutching about cancelation from some of the biggest names in media struck many as disingenuous.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Nov. 2025
Her queerness, though, was rejected by her parents (Merritt Wever, channeling a withering scorn and a pious look that is cold and unnerving, and Ethan Embry as her conservative father).
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
Spider, the human, is scorned by Neytiri and feels anguish over his own identity.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 Dec. 2025
And then there were some who, if willing to grant that the sneakers were real and from a future launch, scorned Staple nonetheless for continuing to fixate on a 20-year-old success much like a former high-school quarterback dwelling on his glory days.
—Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scorn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scorn
Noun
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Every day, Trump exhibits his contempt for laws enacted by Congress — and for the Constitution itself.—
Steve Chapman,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Crosland also represented Troconis on contempt charges and successfully had those offenses dropped last June.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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While some other schools have disdained it, particularly because of coaching searches and roster turnover and perhaps over financial costs that make bowls a wash or worse on the payday, Drinkwitz and MU don’t want to surrender the present to the future.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
18 Dec. 2025
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Matt is fighting against a woman who hates Christianity, will take away your guns, wants Open Borders, Transgender for everybody, men in women’s sports, and openly disdains Country music.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Those who despise Bacharach’s fluting tunes and David’s simple — if emotive — lyrics, consigning them to often denigrated genres such as easy listening, elevator music, adult contemporary or luxe pop.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
8 Jan. 2026
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Policing women is a byproduct of patriarchy, a system that despises women who dare to embrace individualism, self-expression, and self-autonomy.—
Essence,
Essence,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Some viewers will know Rapaport from his decadeslong acting career but also that one very irritating season of Justified; others will know him for his anti-Palestinian rants and hatred of New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
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This is not to say that rape can be separated from the hatred of women, just that, in certain situations, the role of the victim can be violently reassigned.—
S. C. Cornell,
New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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While the Steelers might be disrespected on a national scale after an up-and-down season, the Texans can't take the bait.—
Jeff Howe,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
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Employees said they felt disrespected by the process and disrupted from their prior jobs, which included coaching new teachers, providing restorative justice programs and offering specialized services like those for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.—
Rory Linnane,
jsonline.com,
30 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Christo and Jeanne-Claude disregarded all threats of legal action, directing Running Fence to complete its predestined voyage into the sea.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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Some of them blatantly disregarded social distancing and basic hand-washing policies and didn’t separate COVID-19 patients’ and non-COVID patients’ laundry.—
Kevin G. Hall,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
But man, oh man, does Dan hate the game.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
6 Jan. 2026
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The pioneers of punk music did it because the mainstream crowd hated it.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scorn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scorn. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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