scorn

American  

[skawrn] / skɔrn /

noun

1. open or unqualified contempt; disdain.

   His face and attitude showed the scorn he felt.

   Synonyms:

   contumely

2. an object of derision or contempt.

3. a derisive or contemptuous action or speech.

   Antonyms:

   praise

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verb (used with object)

1. to treat or regard with contempt or disdain.

   They scorned the old beggar.

   Synonyms:

   detest, despise, contemn, disdain

2. to reject, refuse, or ignore with contempt or disdain.

   She scorned my help.

verb (used without object)

1. to mock; jeer.

idioms

1. laugh to scorn, to ridicule; deride.

   Many of his sophisticated listeners laughed him to scorn.

scorn British  

/ skɔːn /

noun

1. open contempt or disdain for a person or thing; derision

2. an object of contempt or derision

3. archaic an act or expression signifying contempt

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verb

1. to treat with contempt or derision

2. (tr) to reject with contempt

Related Words

See contempt.

Other Word Forms

• outscorn verb (used with object)
• scorner noun
• scornful adjective
• scornfully adverb
• scornfulness noun
• scorningly adverb
• self-scorn noun

Etymology

Origin of scorn

First recorded in 1150–1200; (noun) Middle English scorn, scarn, from Old French escarn, from Germanic (compare obsolete Dutch schern “mockery, trickery”); (verb) Middle English skarnen, sc(h)ornen, from Old French escharnir, eschernir, ultimately from Germanic

Explanation

Scorn is open disrespect for someone or something. It can also be disrespect coupled with feelings of intense dislike. The noun scorn describes your feelings of disdain when you encounter something you view as worthless or inferior — like, for instance, a talk show that gets all its facts wrong. Use the verb form for those times when you’re actively expressing scorn. You might scorn a politician who spends $100,000 on travel while claiming to work hard promoting middle-class values.

Example Sentences

Two years ago, with the economy chugging along and inflation falling, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell dispatched a question about stagflation with humor rather than scorn.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

At the heart of the movement, he suggested, was a scorn for the country.

From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026

“These false statements were republished and circulated widely across social media platforms,” the lawsuit says, “exposing Plaintiff to public scorn, suspicion, and ridicule.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

Rosenior drew widespread scorn when he said Chelsea's players performed a pre-match huddle before the game against Newcastle United, farcically surrounding referee Paul Tierney in the process, to "respect the ball".

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

“And then there’s Bonfire,” Minya said, moving on to Ruby without scorn so much as cool consideration.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

Related Words

• abhor
• defy
• deride
• despise
• disdain
• disregard
• flout
• hate
• ignore
• mock
• refute
• reject
• repudiate
• ridicule
• shun
• spurn
• taunt