scornful
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of scornful
A Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at scorn, -ful
Explanation
A scornful remark is full of contempt, disdain, or — as you might imagine — scorn. Your obsessively fashionable friends might be scornful of others who don't wear the latest styles. First used in the late 14th century, the adjective scornful originates from the Old French word escarn, meaning "mockery," "derision," or "contempt." You may have witnessed a contestant in a beauty pageant give scornful looks to her leading competitors. A list of scornful reviews from film critics usually precedes a film or actor's nomination for a Razzie, an award that recognizes the best of the worst in film each year.
Vocabulary lists containing scornful
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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"Of Mice and Men"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Scornful and indignant, Eric Church — the most accessible of country music’s contemporary heretics — begins his new single, “Stick That in Your Country Song,” with an image of a decayed America:
From New York Times • Jul. 15, 2020
Scornful of the internet interlopers, the Alien Research Center in nearby Hiko, Nevada, decided to host its own Area 51 event the same weekend – for serious ufologists.
From The Guardian • Sep. 24, 2019
The chaconne was never about relaxation or calm: the title of Mazzocchi’s work translates to “Anger, That Bold Champion,” and Monteverdi’s to “That Scornful Little Glance.”
From New York Times • Oct. 5, 2012
Scornful of worm casts and slippery undulations, Johnston quashed that feat with a 35-footer to the back of the cup.
From Time Magazine Archive
I do not know that I have been in greater Delight for these many Years, than in beholding the Boxes at the Play the last Time The Scornful Lady1 was acted.
From The Spectator, Volume 2. by Addison, Joseph
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
