disdainful
adjective
dis·dain·ful dis-ˈdān-fəl 
: full of or expressing contempt for someone or something regarded as unworthy or inferior : full of or expressing scorn or disdain
a disdainful glare
is disdainful of all modern art
disdainfully
dis-ˈdān-fə-lē
adverb disdainfulness noun
Synonyms
- abhorrent
- contemptuous
- scornful
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
He looked at the waiter with a disdainful glare. a disdainful attitude toward authority
Recent Examples on the Web Michael Moritz, who started his career as a journalist, is disdainful of such verbosity. 
Daniel Rasmussen, WSJ, 6 Sep. 2022 Though the reader knows better, the young narrator is marvelously secure in his superiority as a bona fide antiracist, and marvelously disdainful of his bona fide racist parents. New York Times, 12 July 2022 My mother whips her head around and casts me a disdainful look. Yuxi Lin, Longreads, 25 Mar. 2019 Twitter is advancing this position so that a disdainful hypocrite will be forced to buy it. Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 13 July 2022 When Howie falls for Charlie (James Scully), the cute doctor comes as a package deal with the disdainful Cooper (Nick Adams) and aloof Will (Conrad Ricamora), who strikes an instant love-hate sizzle with Noah. Justin J Wee, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2022 Thanks to redistricting Axne’s district saw an influx of more than 5,000 Republican voters, mostly rural, that are likely to be disdainful of her voting record and relationship with Biden. Brittany Shepherd, ABC News, 8 June 2022 After Eskic’s post, Alessandro Rigolon, an assistant U. professor of city and metropolitan planning, noted that the roster of Yalecrest panelists did not include any planners — which Hemming said in her complaints was mocking and disdainful. The Salt Lake Tribune, 10 June 2022 Scenes between Mitchell and the disdainful Admiral Simpson (Jon Hamm) are culturally enlightening — boyish Cruise is a star; five-o’clock-shadow Hamm, from Mad Men, is TV trite. Armond White, National Review, 27 May 2022 See More
Daniel Rasmussen, WSJ, 6 Sep. 2022 Though the reader knows better, the young narrator is marvelously secure in his superiority as a bona fide antiracist, and marvelously disdainful of his bona fide racist parents. New York Times, 12 July 2022 My mother whips her head around and casts me a disdainful look. Yuxi Lin, Longreads, 25 Mar. 2019 Twitter is advancing this position so that a disdainful hypocrite will be forced to buy it. Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 13 July 2022 When Howie falls for Charlie (James Scully), the cute doctor comes as a package deal with the disdainful Cooper (Nick Adams) and aloof Will (Conrad Ricamora), who strikes an instant love-hate sizzle with Noah. Justin J Wee, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2022 Thanks to redistricting Axne’s district saw an influx of more than 5,000 Republican voters, mostly rural, that are likely to be disdainful of her voting record and relationship with Biden. Brittany Shepherd, ABC News, 8 June 2022 After Eskic’s post, Alessandro Rigolon, an assistant U. professor of city and metropolitan planning, noted that the roster of Yalecrest panelists did not include any planners — which Hemming said in her complaints was mocking and disdainful. The Salt Lake Tribune, 10 June 2022 Scenes between Mitchell and the disdainful Admiral Simpson (Jon Hamm) are culturally enlightening — boyish Cruise is a star; five-o’clock-shadow Hamm, from Mad Men, is TV trite. Armond White, National Review, 27 May 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
see disdain entry 2
First Known Use
circa 1542, in the meaning defined above
disdainful
adjective
1
as in contemptuous
feeling or showing open dislike for someone or something regarded as undeserving of respect or concern a disdainful attitude toward people who work as waiters and waitresses Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- contemptuous
- scornful
- arrogant
- abhorrent
- cruel
- malicious
- cavalier
- fresh
- hateful
- impudent
- disrespectful
- insolent
- supercilious
- snobbish
- discourteous
- haughty
- brazen
- impertinent
- pretentious
- cheeky
- cocky
- nasty
- saucy
- sassy
- uppity
- spiteful
- brash
- brassy
- prideful
- superior
- pompous
- uppish
- high-handed
- highfalutin
- malevolent
- lofty
- bold-faced
- self-important
- malignant
- lordly
- mean
- malign
- hifalutin
- despiteful
- catty
- sniffish
- high-hat
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- appreciative
- deferential
- respectful
- admiring
- tolerant
- polite
- courteous
- approving
- applauding
- accepting
- regardful
2
as in arrogant
having or displaying feelings of scorn for what is regarded as beneath oneself disdainful of manual labor of any kind Synonyms & Similar Words
- arrogant
- proud
- haughty
- smug
- cavalier
- prideful
- superior
- selfish
- domineering
- supercilious
- snobbish
- conceited
- highfalutin
- lofty
- sniffy
- condescending
- vainglorious
- uppity
- pretentious
- hifalutin
- patronizing
- lordly
- confident
- important
- complacent
- egotistic
- impudent
- dominating
- pompous
- self-satisfied
- egoistic
- self-important
- swaggering
- egotistical
- overbearing
- self-conceited
- vain
- boastful
- presumptuous
- self-contented
- cocky
- overconfident
- cheeky
- stuck-up
- peremptory
- impertinent
- bombastic
- saucy
- imperious
- egocentric
- self-assertive
- overweening
- brassy
- audacious
- bossy
- cocksure
- brash
- bloated
- high-handed
- presuming
- self-assured
- self-glorifying
- masterful
- bold
- self-confident
- high-sounding
- self-centered
- presuming
- forward
- sure
- magisterial
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- humble
- modest
- lowly
- timid
- meek
- unpretentious
- unassuming
- bashful
- homely
- shy
- demure
- diffident
- unpretending
- deferential
- unassertive
- acquiescent
- apologetic
- ingratiating
- retiring
- passive
- submissive
- compliant
- resigned
- subdued
- quiet
- unobtrusive
- shrinking
- yielding
- self-doubting
- reserved
- cringing
- cowering
3
as in slighting
intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value disdainful remarks regarding the cheap clothes that the local people were wearing Synonyms & Similar Words
- slighting
- contemptuous
- scornful
- insulting
- disparaging
- deprecatory
- malicious
- uncomplimentary
- demeaning
- depreciative
- depreciatory
- derogatory
- belittling
- detractive
- pejorative
- degrading
- abusive
- critical
- derisory
- derogative
- hateful
- denigratory
- decrying
- venomous
- nasty
- cruel
- denigrative
- spiteful
- libelous
- unkind
- despiteful
- scurrilous
- slanderous
- malevolent
- jealous
- envious
- opprobrious
- virulent
- calumnious
- resentful
- malignant
- slandering
- defamatory
- libellous
- bitter
- maligning
- vilifying
- denunciatory
- malign
- aspersing
- mean
- caustic
- catty
- scathing
- acrimonious
- jaundiced
- acrid
- rancorous
- denunciative
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- laudatory
- commendatory
- complimentary
- friendly
- appreciative
- positive
- sympathetic
- adulatory
- admiring
- respectful
- approving
- laudative
- kind
- applauding
- kindly
- warm
- kindhearted
- warmhearted
- unmalicious
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of disdainful are arrogant, haughty, insolent, lordly, overbearing, proud, and supercilious. While all these words mean "showing scorn for inferiors," disdainful suggests a more active and openly scornful superciliousness.
disdainful of their social inferiors
The synonyms arrogant and disdainful are sometimes interchangeable, but arrogant implies a claiming for oneself of more consideration or importance than is warranted.
a conceited and arrogant executive
While in some cases nearly identical to disdainful, haughty suggests a consciousness of superior birth or position.
a haughty aristocrat
Although the words insolent and disdainful have much in common, insolent implies contemptuous haughtiness.
ignored by an insolent waiter
The words lordly and disdainful can be used in similar contexts, but lordly implies pomposity or an arrogant display of power.
a lordly condescension
The meanings of overbearing and disdainful largely overlap; however, overbearing suggests a tyrannical manner or an intolerable insolence.
an overbearing supervisor
In some situations, the words proud and disdainful are roughly equivalent. However, proud may suggest an assumed superiority or loftiness.
too proud to take charity
The words supercilious and disdainful are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, supercilious implies a cool, patronizing haughtiness.
an aloof and supercilious manner
- self-induction
- self-indulged
- self-indulgence
- self-indulgences
- self-indulgent
- self-indulgently
- self-infatuated
- self-infatuation
- self-inflating
- self-inflation
- self-inflicted
- self-initiated
- self-injure
- self-injured
- self-injures
- self-injuring
- self-injurious
- self-injury
- self-instructed
- self-instruction
- self-instructional
- self-insurance
- self-insure
- self-insured
- self-insurer