SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
contemptuous
adjective
Showing that someone or something is regarded as unworthy of respect.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Showing scorn
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topDismissive can be less intense; contemptuous openly or implicitly treats its object as unworthy.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See contemptuous in use
Her contemptuous dismissal ended any chance of a useful discussion.
Cam sounded arrogant when he announced that nobody else in the studio could match his judgment. After one minor suggestion was accepted, he became smug, looking excessively pleased with himself and treating the choice as proof that he needed no improvement. His contemptuous dismissal of a colleague's careful question suggested that he considered her unworthy of serious attention.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license