contempt
Meaning
Contempt refers to a profound feeling of disdain or scorn towards someone or something perceived as unworthy or inferior, often accompanied by a sense of moral superiority. It can manifest in both personal interactions and broader social contexts, reflect
💡 While often used to express personal disdain, "contempt" can also have legal implications, particularly in judicial contexts, where it denotes behavior that disobeys or shows disrespect for the court.
Example Sentences
Word in Context
On
the
train
home
,
Emma
listened
as
a
fellow
passenger
described
his
business
idea
with
confident
certainty
,
filling
the
car
with
enthusiastic
detail
.
She
tried
to
hide
her
reaction
,
but
the
steady
stream
of
exaggerated
claims
made
her
feel
a
quiet
contempt
.
Rather
than
interrupting
,
she
kept
her
expression
neutral
and
jotted
a
few
notes
on
her
phone
to
avoid
any
dismissive
gesture
.
When
he
finished
,
the
other
commuters
exchanged
small
smiles
and
returned
to
their
newspapers
,
treating
the
conversation
as
a
brief
,
inconsequential
spectacle
.
Emma
wondered
whether
such
performances
were
driven
by
insecurity
,
and
decided
to
reserve
judgment
until
she
had
more
evidence
.
Common Phrases
open contempt
contempt of court
contempt for authority
Synonyms
Related Words
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