contemptuous

[ kuhn-temp-choo-uhs ]

/ kənˈtɛmp tʃu əs /

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See synonyms for: contemptuous / contemptuously / contemptuousness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

showing or expressing contempt or disdain; scornful; disrespectful.

OTHER WORDS FOR contemptuous

disdainful, sneering, insolent, arrogant, supercilious, haughty.

See synonyms for contemptuous on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR contemptuous

respectful.

See antonyms for contemptuous on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

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Which of the following words means “to make a crackling sound; crackle”?

crisp

crepitate

fuscous

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Origin of contemptuous

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin contemptu-, stem of contemptus “a slighting” (see contempt) + -ous

OTHER WORDS FROM contemptuous

con·temp·tu·ous·ly, adverbcon·temp·tu·ous·ness, nounhalf-con·temp·tu·ous, adjectivenon·con·temp·tu·ous, adjective

non·con·temp·tu·ous·ness, nounun·con·temp·tu·ous, adjectiveun·con·temp·tu·ous·ness, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH contemptuous

contemptible, contemptuous

Words nearby contemptuous

contemporize, contempt, contemptible, contempt of Congress, contempt of court, contemptuous, contemptuously, contend, contender, content, content-addressable storage

How to use contemptuous in a sentence

The French make contemptuous assessments of the local cuisine.
A British Start to the Tour de France Forces the English to Wonder: What Does Being English Mean Anymore?|Clive Irving|July 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But then he gave the game away, with a turn of phrase that promptly made its way into headlines and contemptuous write-ups.
Liam Neeson Loves Horses and Nietzsche|James Poulos|April 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Many were elitists who, despite their opposition to tyranny, remained contemptuous of the masses.
How ‘Cosmos’ Bungles the History of Religion and Science|David Sessions|March 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
With the money came the filth, and the contemptuous lewdness you see in the film are based on actual claims in the book.
The Real Wolf of Wall Street: Jordan Belfort’s Vulgar Memoirs|Jimmy So|December 20, 2013|DAILY BEAST

You quickly become bored by and contemptuous of everyone, up to the president himself.
The White House and the Press Corps|Michael Tomasky|February 19, 2013|DAILY BEAST
He called upon the Order to show their title-deeds, but was met with a contemptuous refusal.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
Junot and Ney were openly contemptuous, Regnier hung back, and was three weeks late in his arrangements.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
But his lips were hard pressed and his eyes became suddenly contemptuous, then smiling.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton
They did so, and Crane looked up at the fat hardware man with eyes that were not quite so contemptuous.
Scattergood Baines|Clarence Budington Kelland
At this period Tchaikovskys attitude to his father and his aunts was slightly egotistical and contemptuous.
The Life & Letters of Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky|Modeste Tchaikovsky

British Dictionary definitions for contemptuous

contemptuous

/ (kənˈtɛmptjʊəs) /

adjective

(when predicative, often foll by of) showing or feeling contempt; disdainful

Derived forms of contemptuous

contemptuously, adverbcontemptuousness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

contemptuous

OTHER WORDS FOR contemptuous

OPPOSITES FOR contemptuous

Origin of contemptuous

OTHER WORDS FROM contemptuous

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH contemptuous

Words nearby contemptuous

Words related to contemptuous

How to use contemptuous in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for contemptuous

Derived forms of contemptuous