disrespectful
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of disrespectful
First recorded in 1670–80; dis- 1 + respectful
Explanation
Disrespectful words and actions are rude and show a lack of respect. If you want to "dis" someone, be disrespectful towards them. You probably know that respectful things show consideration, kindness, and appreciation. Disrespectful things do the opposite. Swearing at your grandmother is disrespectful. Burping loudly in church is disrespectful. For a business to ignore a religious holiday could be considered disrespectful. This is a word with a lot of grey area: what is disrespectful to one person may be just fine to another. Disrespectful behavior can range from blatant rudeness to just not acting impressed or awed by something others hold sacred.
Vocabulary lists containing disrespectful
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 7–11
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“He was enormously disrespectful to a lot of the teachers and staff. It was kind of hard to watch,” said Kletter, who is voting for Raman.
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026
In January 2025, there were few external criticisms of Carragher's assessment, which Casemiro branded "disrespectful" in an interview on Rio Ferdinand's podcast, which was published earlier this week.
From BBC • May 17, 2026
Despite or because of the crass, disrespectful language, conservative influencers are raving about the video as a game-changer.
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
The pope has called the treatment of migrants in the United States "extremely disrespectful" and said "we have to look for ways of treating people humanely."
From Barron's • May 1, 2026
Behind it are printout machines, row on row of them; these machines are known as Holy Rollers, but only among us, it’s a disrespectful nickname.
From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
