condescend

American  

[kon-duh-send] / ˌkɒn dəˈsɛnd /

verb (used without object)

1. to behave as if one is conscious of descending from a superior position, rank, or dignity.

2. to stoop or deign to do something.

   He would not condescend to misrepresent the facts.

3. to put aside one's dignity or superiority voluntarily and assume equality with one regarded as inferior.

   He condescended to their intellectual level in order to be understood.

4. Obsolete.

   1. to yield.

   2. to assent.

---

condescend British  

/ ˌkɒndɪˈsɛnd /

verb

1. to act graciously towards another or others regarded as being on a lower level; behave patronizingly

2. to do something that one regards as below one's dignity

---

Usage

What does condescend mean? Condescend commonly means to interact with others in a way that implies that you’re superior to them. It especially refers to when this is done in an arrogant or patronizing way—meaning when you act as if you’re doing someone a favor by supposedly lowering yourself to their level of understanding or intelligence. This sense of the word is often used with the word to and the recipient of such behavior, as in Don’t condescend to me. This sense of condescend is always used negatively and implies that such behavior is insulting to the person or people it’s directed toward. The adjective condescending is used to describe people who act in such a way, or their words or actions, as in condescending tone. Condescending often involves not only what is said but also how it’s said. A condescending tone is often one that sounds like it’s directed at a child. Condescend can also mean to stoop to a lower level or to do something that one considers as below one's dignity. A close synonym of this sense of the word is deign. The act of condescending is called condescension. Example: Why do you feel the need to condescend every time you explain something?

Other Word Forms

• condescendent noun
• condescender noun

Etymology

Origin of condescend

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English condescenden, from Late Latin condēscendere ( con-, descend ); replacing Middle English condescendre, from Middle French

Example Sentences

"When I started coaching women for the first time, I did not condescend to them," said Dorrance.

From BBC • Jul. 2, 2025

Don’t question the character of his backers or condescend; appeal to their interests and positive dreams.

From Seattle Times • May 26, 2024

There’s a magic mailbox involved; it’s really dumb and also really great, and the two stars never once condescend to the material.

From Washington Post • Mar. 24, 2023

The monsters, wildly imaginative, don’t condescend to a 10-year-old’s sensibilities — or a 24-year-old’s.

From New York Times • Oct. 26, 2021

But I suppose the New Woman won’t condescend in future to accept; she will do the proposing herself.

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker