CONTEMPT Synonyms: 93 Similar and Opposite Words

contempt

noun

kən-ˈtem(p)t

Definition of contempt

as in disdain

open dislike for someone or something considered unworthy of one's concern or respect my undying contempt for people who abuse animals

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Recent Examples of contempt Streissand warned that any unauthorized sale would constitute a breach of trust, fiduciary duty, and contempt of court. — Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Griffin was arrested for the killing on Monday, charged with murder, weapon possession, and criminal contempt for violating an order of protection, police said. — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026 America’s relative openness to immigrants looked like decadence; cosmopolitanism and internationalism were objects of contempt. — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 Before the Thursday contempt vote, Paul, who has been fiercely critical of Fauci for years, said the American people deserve more information about the federal government’s role in the early days of the pandemic. — Daniel Payne, STAT, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for contempt

Recent Examples of Synonyms for contempt

Noun

The public's mounting disdain for the tech sector could prove especially challenging for Anthropic and OpenAI, both valued at nearly $1 trillion and gearing up for potentially historic IPOs.

— Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
Ashcroft shares further thoughts about Frank’s disdain for Francis Jr.

— Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of disdain

Noun

His hatred of the Islamic State group appears genuine, and American cooperation with Damascus against the terrorist network will benefit the Syrians who suffered most under its rule.

— Jason M. Blazakis, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026
Yet Christ Jesus consistently refused to let fear, hatred, or sin define his view of anyone’s identity.

— The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of hatred

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“Contempt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contempt. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of contempt

noun

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