contempt

American  

[kuhn-tempt] / kənˈtɛmpt /

noun

1. the feeling with which a person regards anything considered mean, vile, or worthless; disdain; scorn.

2. the state of being despised; dishonor; disgrace.

3. Law.

   1. willful disobedience to or open disrespect for the rules or orders of a court contempt of court or legislative body.

   2. an act showing such disrespect.

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contempt British  

/ kənˈtɛmpt /

noun

1. the attitude or feeling of a person towards a person or thing that he considers worthless or despicable; scorn

2. the state of being scorned; disgrace (esp in the phrase hold in contempt )

3. wilful disregard of or disrespect for the authority of a court of law or legislative body

   contempt of court

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contempt Idioms  

1. see familiarity breeds contempt.

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Related Words

contempt , disdain , scorn imply strong feelings of disapproval and aversion toward what seems base, mean, or worthless. contempt is disapproval tinged with disgust: to feel contempt for a weakling . disdain is a feeling that a person or thing is beneath one's dignity and unworthy of one's notice, respect, or concern: a disdain for crooked dealing . scorn denotes open or undisguised contempt often combined with derision: He showed only scorn for those who were not as ambitious as himself.

Other Word Forms

• self-contempt
  noun

Etymology

Origin of contempt

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin contemptus “despising, scorn,” noun derivative of contemnere “to despise, scorn”; see contemn

Explanation

Reserve the noun contempt for an extreme lack of respect: a food snob has nothing but contempt for mass-produced burgers and fries at a fast-food joint. Contempt has nothing to do with the verb condemn, despite the similarity in sound and meaning; it is from Latin temnere "to despise," and if you despise someone, you have contempt for them. It's a harsh term and should be used with care; it's stronger than either disdain or scorn. It suggests you find someone or something utterly worthless. That food snob might say the words "Big Mac" or "Whopper" with a voice dripping in contempt.

Example Sentences

“History will not remember you for reverence. It will remember you with contempt. Your name will carry no honor, no redemption.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

“No conversation about contempt. We’ll talk about next steps, which could be a number of things,” Thompson said.

From Washington Post • May 12, 2022

“And yet we treat this planet with such contempt. We treat it so carelessly. And I think it’s something we’ll all be reckoning with for a long time.”

From New York Times • Apr. 21, 2022

"It’s hearings. It's investigation. It's litigation. It's subpoenas. It's contempt. It's all the same ones we've always had, but it's a question of making sure that we're strategic in what we do," she said.

From Fox News • Feb. 12, 2020

"Thank you for the wine. We will speak again. When you see me next at council, be certain to treat me with your accustomed contempt. You should not find it difficult."

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

Related Words

• antipathy
• condescension
• defiance
• derision
• disdain
• disregard
• disrespect
• distaste
• hatred
• malice
• mockery
• neglect
• ridicule
• scorn