contemptuously

[kuhn-temp-choo-uhs-lee]

adverb

1. in a way that expresses contempt or disdain; scornfully.

   He remained angrily and contemptuously silent and refused to answer.

Other Word Forms

• half-contemptuously adverb
• noncontemptuously adverb
• uncontemptuously adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of contemptuously¹

contemptuous ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

“Those who openly and contemptuously insult our judicial system should not be rewarded with a lifetime appointment to the bench,” Nelson said in a statement.

From Salon

Oddly, Ryan claimed to be an observant Catholic, yet idolized an author who contemptuously called Christianity a “slave religion.”

From Salon

He has contemptuously dismissed the US strategy of backing for Palestinian independence as part of a "grand bargain" to remake the Middle East.

From BBC

The minister replied contemptuously that ballet dancers were like saffron — the most expensive spice — on hospital food, an extravagance.

From New York Times

Ramaphosa recalled going there to collect what Black South Africans contemptuously called a "dompas" - a "dumb pass" to allow them to work in white areas of the city.

From Reuters

Related Words

• bluntly 
• crudely 
• harshly www.thesaurus.com