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Glite Dictionary
😒 A strong dislike 😒 To reject with scorn
disdain

disdain

65 6.5
A feeling of strong dislike and lack of respect
  • noun
  • /dɪsˈdeɪn/
translation icon : desdén
  • Her face twisted into a sudden look of disdain for all of us.
  • express disdain
  • look of disdain
  • disdain and contempt

This is where I believe the the public disdain for CIA comes from.

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Examples

  • Josh took pains to express his disdain for his classmates and the school in general.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Words said with such disdain, such hate, that they cut just like a knife.

    Cabrini (2024)

  • And they asked us with quite a bit of disdain, do you know how to roll?

  • So I think there was already some disdain there for me just being there.

  • But her, her big thing that I love and I find very funny is she has a real like disdain for AI.

  • About the only thing you and I have in common is a disdain for mathematics.

    Oppenheimer (2023)

  • He looked at me with such disdain and contempt.

  • All right, so you've expressed on this show and elsewhere before that you you hold a lot of disdain for Facebook, right?

  • Marroquin, however, was quite aware of the disdain that the growing Tejano middle class had toward accordion music.

    Academic text (1999)

  • She looked at the poorly designed painting with disdain.

Synonyms

contempt
vsdisdain
131 5.5

A strong feeling that someone or something is worthless and deserves no respect

is used for both an inner feeling and an outward expression
scorn
vsdisdain
39 5.1

A strong feeling of dislike and no respect

is a quieter judgment of unworthiness rather than a loud public display
condescension
vsdisdain
16 7.9

An attitude that shows someone feels more important than others

focuses on judging others unworthy rather than acting superior or patronizing
disrespectfulness
vsdisdain
1 4.5

A way of behaving that shows no respect for someone or something

is a personal judgment of unworthiness rather than just rude behavior
contemptuousness
vsdisdain
8.5

Showing strong dislike and no respect for a person or thing

is a personal feeling or expression rather than a general quality
disdainfulness
vsdisdain
8.8

A feeling that you are better than other people

is the personal feeling or expression rather than a general trait
despisal
vsdisdain
  • Archaic
8.9

Strong feeling of dislike and scorn for someone or something

is a less extreme dislike or judgment rather than outright hatred

Antonyms

respect
∞ 1.0

A feeling of admiration for someone because they are good or successful

admiration
106 1.8

A feeling of respect and approval for someone or something

How Respectful

reverence
4 6.0
respect
∞ 1.0
dislike
  • Texting
49 1.0
disdain
65 6.5
scorn
39 5.1
contempt
131 5.5

Surface Forms

disdain singular
disdains plural

Morphology

disdain = deign (semi-transparent) = dis + dain

The negative prefix 'dis-' makes the general idea clear, but the base 'deign' is archaic/rare so many learners cannot derive the sense directly.

Etymology

Disdain comes from the parts dis- 'not' and dignus 'worthy', the same root as dignity. So disdain is the feeling or look you give when you think someone is 'not worthy' or beneath you.