Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Manifesting or feeling contempt; scornful.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Manifesting or expressing contempt or disdain; scornful: said of actions or feelings: as, contemptuous language or manner.
  • Apt to despise; contumelious; haughty; insolent: said of persons.
  • Worthy of contempt; contemptible.
  • Synonyms Disdainful, supercilious, cavalier, contumelious.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Manifesting or expressing contempt or disdain; scornful; haughty; insolent; disdainful.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective showing contempt; expressing disdain; showing a lack of respect.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective expressing extreme contempt

Etymologies

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Examples

  • The authors of such works are regarded as deviant, hostile to "ordinary" readers, just plain contemptuous of good order in matters of storytelling and style.

    Style in Fiction 2009

  • Billy laughed in contemptuous pride of youth and brawn.

    CHAPTER XIII 2010

  • He accepted the situation, happy in the gentle and protecting affection the girl showed him, fitfully enough, for she had, as she called it, her bad days when she used to visit her mother and remain long hours in the riverside hut, coming out as inscrutable as ever, but with a contemptuous look and a short word ready to answer any of his speeches.

    Almayer's Folly 2006

  • She looked at him and tried to make her expression contemptuous, but he only laughed.

    Flappers and Philosophers 2003

  • Then the scene shifted to Ethiopia, where Mussolini, I think in contemptuous defiance of the entire world drove with his bayonet and guns the King of Kings, who went begging for his throne to all places.

    India's Fight For Freedom 1938

  • The keeper made no remark, but in contemptuous silence he rattled the dog's chain and the animal barked loudly.

    The Mother 1928

  • The man received the papers, while the crowd looked on, muttering in contemptuous undertones.

    Jacqueline of the Carrier-Pigeons 1919

  • She looked at him and tried to make her expression contemptuous, but he only laughed.

    Flappers and Philosophers 1918

  • He strode on rapidly, his shoulders squared, his expression contemptuous, challenging; but within he was possessed by an apprehension increasing at every step.

    The Three Black Pennys A Novel Joseph Hergesheimer 1917

  • Billy laughed in contemptuous pride of youth and brawn.

    Chapter 13 1913

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