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.

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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

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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 ( see con-, descend); replacing Middle English condescendre, from Middle French

Explanation

A snooty waiter might condescend to serve you dinner at a fancy restaurant, meaning that he'd consider himself far too important to carry out the mundane task of delivering your hamburger and fries. You might have noticed that condescend contains the word descend, meaning to move down from a higher place. You can think of condescend as lowering yourself to do a task that you feel is far beneath you. Kings and queens would never condescend to do their own laundry at the palace, for example. If they even knew how to do the laundry, you can be sure they'd do it in a condescending, or superior, way to let everyone know that housework is no task for a monarch.

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

She offers a simple, elegant solution, one that does not pander, condescend or dumb down.

From New York Times • Oct. 7, 2021

“And if I condescend to associate with her, what would you do, father? Throw me in the mines as well?”

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas