If you have contemptfor someone or something, you have no respect for them or think that they are unimportant.
He has contempt for those beyond his immediate family circle. [+ for]
I hope voters will treat his advice with the contempt it deserves.
Synonyms: scorn, despite [archaic], disdain, mockery More Synonyms of contempt
2. uncountable noun
Contempt means the same as contempt of court.
[law]
Mr. Kelly was sentenced to six months in prison for contempt.
3.
See hold sb/sth in contempt
4. familiarity breeds contempt
contempt in British English
(kənˈtɛmpt)
noun
1.
the attitude or feeling of a person towards a person or thing that he or she considers worthless or despicable; scorn
2.
the state of being scorned; disgrace (esp in the phrase hold in contempt)
3.
wilful disregard of or disrespect for the authority of a court of law or legislative body
contempt of court
Word origin
C14: from Latin contemptus a despising, from contemnere to contemn
contempt in American English
(kənˈtɛmpt)
noun
1.
the feeling or attitude of one who looks down on somebody or something as being low, mean, or unworthy; scorn
2.
the condition of being despised or scorned
3.
the punishable act of showing disrespect for the authority or dignity of a court (or legislature), as by disobedience, unruliness, etc.
: in full contempt of court (or congress, etc.)
Word origin
OFr < L contemptus, scorn, pp. of contemnere: see contemn
More idioms containing
contempt
familiarity breeds contempt
COBUILD Collocations
contempt
utter contempt
Examples of 'contempt' in a sentence
contempt
Open contempt has been expressed in some quarters and the independence of the judiciary called into question.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Failure to do so could be in contempt of court.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The oddest thing about his contempt for women is that surely he rather likes them.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Why should we treat them with contempt?
Travers, P L What the Bee Knows - reflections on myth, symbol and story (1989)
The plan backfires and the pair end up locked in reciprocal scorn and contempt.
The Times Literary Supplement (2010)
Their encounters were fuelled by mutual contempt rather than respect.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Will the internet kill off our creaking contempt laws?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
They can survive by treating you with contempt.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Also you go to some grounds now and the stewards treat you with contempt.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The contempt of court laws are certainly flouted more readily these days than in his time.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
What is most shocking is the utter contempt with which he treats the Italian public.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
When the scandals came to light, sadness turned to scorn and contempt.
Garraty, John Arthur The American Nation: A History of the United States to 1877 (1995)
If the allegations are proved, he could face a prison sentence for contempt of court.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He has a thousand ways to express contempt, loathing and disgust.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The French must view us with utter contempt.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Public indifference to politics has given way to ridicule, contempt and scorn.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
He could face two years' jail for contempt of court.
The Sun (2011)
But that would be to treat them with contempt, he argues.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Mrs Keen has shown utter contempt for her constituents by refusing to explain or justify her actions.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
He has the rubbery features of a depressed albino bulldog and a thousand ways to express contempt, loathing and disgust.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
contempt
British English: contempt /kənˈtɛmpt/ NOUN
If you have contempt for someone or something, you have no respect for them.
He has contempt for most politicians.
American English: contempt
Arabic: اِحْتِقَار
Brazilian Portuguese: desprezo
Chinese: 轻视
Croatian: prijezir
Czech: pohrdání
Danish: foragt
Dutch: minachting
European Spanish: desprecio
Finnish: halveksunta
French: mépris
German: Verachtung
Greek: περιφρόνηση
Italian: disprezzo
Japanese: 軽蔑
Korean: 모욕
Norwegian: forakt
Polish: pogarda
European Portuguese: desprezo
Romanian: dispreț
Russian: презрение
Latin American Spanish: desprecio
Swedish: förakt
Thai: การหมิ่นประมาท
Turkish: hor görme
Ukrainian: зневага
Vietnamese: sự khinh miệt
All related terms of 'contempt'
self-contempt
a feeling of scorn and lack of admiration for oneself
utter contempt
If you have contempt for someone or something, you have no respect for them or think that they are unimportant .
criminal contempt
any seriously disrespectful act committed against the dignity or authority of a court
contempt of court
Contempt of court is the criminal offence of disobeying an instruction from a judge or a court of law.
familiarity breeds contempt
Familiarity is used especially in the expression familiarity breeds contempt to say that if you know a person or situation very well , you can easily lose respect for that person or become careless in that situation.
hold sb/sth in contempt
If you hold someone or something in contempt , you feel contempt for them.
Chinese translation of 'contempt'
contempt
(kənˈtɛmpt)
n(u)
轻(輕)视(視) (qīngshì)
to have contempt for sb/sth瞧不起某人/某物 (qiáobùqǐ mǒurén/mǒuwù)
to hold sb in contempt藐视(視)某人 (miǎoshì mǒurén)
to be beneath contempt实(實)在是不值一顾(顧) (shízài shì bù zhí yī gù)
contempt of court蔑视(視)法庭 (mièshì fǎtíng)
(noun)
Definition
scorn
I will treat that remark with the contempt it deserves.
Synonyms
scorn
They greeted the proposal with scorn.
despite (archaic)
disdain
She looked at him with disdain.
mockery
Was there a glint of mockery in his eyes?
derision
He tried to calm them but was greeted with shouts of derision.
disrespect
We would never treat each other with disrespect.
disregard
a callous disregard for human life
contumely (literary)
Opposites
liking
,
regard
,
respect
,
honour
,
esteem
,
admiration
Additional synonyms
in the sense of contumely
Definition
a humiliating insult
Synonyms
scorn,
abuse,
insult,
contempt,
humiliation,
arrogance,
disdain,
affront,
indignity,
derision,
rudeness,
opprobrium,
insolence,
obloquy,
superciliousness
in the sense of derision
He tried to calm them but was greeted with shouts of derision.