1
as in contemptuous
feeling or showing open dislike for someone or something regarded as undeserving of respect or concern
the actress gave the paparazzi a scornful glare before breezing on by them
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
the tenant's complaints were met with the scornful observation that he expected too much for the rent he was paying
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scornful
Less tangibly, the disgust in Europe for Trump’s way of doing business—his swaggering, swindling, scornful style—can’t be erased.
—
Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
Despite that criticism, Trump doubled down on his scornful comments about Reiner at a press conference on Monday.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Dec. 2025
Kirk shared Trump's penchant for scornful rhetoric.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for scornful
Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
Despite that criticism, Trump doubled down on his scornful comments about Reiner at a press conference on Monday.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Dec. 2025
Kirk shared Trump's penchant for scornful rhetoric.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for scornful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scornful
Adjective
-
Critics are sometimes contemptuous of the way superhero entertainment has been embraced by adults, who should presumably be making their way through the Booker Prize longlist.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Sara Hershkowitz’s wildly contemptuous Queen adds further soprano glory.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The popularity of e-bikes and e-motos has soared since the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving lawmakers and law enforcement scrambling to regulate the bikes that are often used by young riders ignorant or disdainful of the rules of the road.—
Sean Emery,
Oc Register,
22 Apr. 2026
-
In real life, Natalie is detached from her children and disdainful of her spouse, prone to violent outbursts as the farm spins out of her control.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Alex Jenkinson, 39, is accused of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behavior toward the former prince, whose royal titles were removed last year by King Charles III due to his connections to Jeffrey Epstein.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
-
In a February 2025 meeting, Grimes made profane and insulting comments to another Uber lawyer, the filing said.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
Not even the pork choppers were as arrogant and scornful of voting rights as the current mob.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 May 2026
-
Of course, David went on to build one of the most illustrious careers in television with characters who are often arrogant, petty and unlikable by traditional media standards.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Celeste team argues that large, heavy drones pose a serious cybersecurity risk, as they could be hijacked and used for harm by malicious hackers.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
-
That’s not necessarily malicious.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Its cruel and even lawless excesses have reverberated around the globe.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
9 May 2026
-
This is how cruel football can be.—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
This subsided with unusual speed, however, as cricket fans took instead to sharing the self-deprecatory jokes coming over the border.—
The Economist,
The Economist,
22 June 2019
-
Philipps has acquired her 1-million-and-growing Instagram followers through her self-deprecatory humor, raw honesty and vulnerability.—
Sonja Haller,
USA TODAY,
11 July 2018
Adjective
-
To learn that zoos will be trafficking the sloths to other zoos and be used in breeding is abhorrent.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Halley Tejada has been sentenced to a sentence of 20-years-to-life in state prison for his abhorrent and fatal conduct.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scornful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scornful. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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