contempt

[ kuhn-tempt ]

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.

contempt

/ 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

Other Words From

• self-con·tempt noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of contempt¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of contempt¹

C14: from Latin contemptus a despising, from contemnere to contemn

Idioms and Phrases

see familiarity breeds contempt .

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

They are the poster children for evil at its core and as such, need to be treated with contempt.

From Washington Blade

Adult curfews are imposed, colors of clothing are not allowed, littering or being too loud in public could result in contempt of court.

From Voice of San Diego

In March, his attorney argued that MTS should be held in contempt for failing to comply with her subpoena and the city attorney’s office should be sanctioned for its failure to assist.

From Voice of San Diego

So let’s say you’re in a relationship with someone, and rather than being the contempt giver, you’re the contempt receiver.

From Freakonomics

You’d think it’d be better to have contempt for people you, you didn’t know.

From Freakonomics

“Internationally there has been a lot of horror and contempt for her actions, domestically very little,” he said.

From The Daily Beast

Alastair Sim had jowls like melting candle wax, a snarl like a cornered cat and eyes cold with contempt.

From The Daily Beast

Their pronouncements suggest that they hold those commitments in contempt.

From The Daily Beast

Trierweiler claims that Hollande, a socialist, showed contempt for the poor, supposedly calling them “the toothless.”

From The Daily Beast

The President and his party are making their contempt all too clear to white working-class voters.

From The Daily Beast

It is then we make him our friend, which sets us above the envy and contempt of wicked men.

From Project Gutenberg

Her eyes were blazing with triumph, yet her lips curved with contempt at the attitude of her trembling father.

From Project Gutenberg

If he had cut her, he would have shown less contempt than in that stiff raising of the hat.

From Project Gutenberg

He threw into the last two words an indescribable sound of half-laughing contempt.

From Project Gutenberg

Lifted to the skies for an hour by popular adulation, he has been sunk into obscurity ever since by historic contempt.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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