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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective disdainful differ from other similar words?

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

When might arrogant be a better fit than disdainful?

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

Where would haughty be a reasonable alternative to disdainful?

While in some cases nearly identical to disdainful, haughty suggests a consciousness of superior birth or position.

a haughty aristocrat

In what contexts can insolent take the place of disdainful?

Although the words insolent and disdainful have much in common, insolent implies contemptuous haughtiness.

ignored by an insolent waiter

When can lordly be used instead of disdainful?

The words lordly and disdainful can be used in similar contexts, but lordly implies pomposity or an arrogant display of power.

a lordly condescension

When could overbearing be used to replace disdainful?

The meanings of overbearing and disdainful largely overlap; however, overbearing suggests a tyrannical manner or an intolerable insolence.

an overbearing supervisor

When would proud be a good substitute for disdainful?

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

When is supercilious a more appropriate choice than disdainful?

The words supercilious and disdainful are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, supercilious implies a cool, patronizing haughtiness.

an aloof and supercilious manner

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of disdainful President-Elect Donald Trump is openly disdainful of many governments in Europe and seems willing to walk away from America’s role as the continent’s protector. Phillips Payson O’Brien, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2025 Now, the norms for AI will emerge in a political and cultural environment that's hostile to regulation and disdainful of limits. Scott Rosenberg, Axios, 8 Jan. 2025 By and large, though, in Lyman’s view, conservatives were the new gonzo journalists, the ones sending back authentic reports from high-drama situations, disdainful of institutions and politically correct messaging. Rachel Monroe, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2024 The Falcons were equally disdainful of Ridder with Monday night’s game plan. Vic Tafur, The Athletic, 17 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for disdainful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disdainful
Adjective
  • According to an ancient Greek myth, all those who had fallen in love with the young man Narcissus were met with contemptuous rejection.
    Abigayle Ward, Hartford Courant, 8 Mar. 2025
  • The president was also profoundly contemptuous of women, kept his true opposition to female suffrage carefully hidden, and allowed the suffragists who silently held banners outside the White House to be repeatedly attacked by mobs, beaten, and jailed.
    Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Was proud of winning the school’s first district championship in 20 years.
    Gary Curreri, Sun Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2025
  • In a post-credits scene from a recent episode of The Kardashians, the proud mom looked at the analytics from her daughter's Lion King performance and was shocked that North was more popular than the rest of her family.
    Kayla Grant, People.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Meghan Markle's Netflix Backlash Meghan's Netflix show earned scornful reviews not only in the British press, long the villains of Meghan and Prince Harry's narrative, but also among U.S. outlets that previously provided glowing coverage.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
  • The Nosotros people had returned Borja’s bribe money to him with no comment, only scornful silence, but the sting of the snub had not gone very deep.
    Charles Portis, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Ava Daniels is a young comedy writer who is unable to find work due to an insensitive tweet and her reputation for being self-centered and arrogant.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • And the villains, of course, exuding every nastily relatable emotion; the stepmothers and sorceresses are vain, arrogant, dismissive, lonely, rude, and outrageous.
    Darren Franich, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Sean Griffin, local executive council president for the union, said the pay is insulting.
    Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2025
  • To suggest civil servants don’t work hard and could do more for less is insulting to the hundreds of thousands of hard-working federal workers earning their paychecks today.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Ironically, the biggest threat to that plan is the immediate plunge in demand caused by the political activity and abhorrent behavior of the company’s founder.
    Dev Patnaik, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
  • But Thursday’s turnover itself marked an abhorrent and cruel spectacle that flew in the face of international law, according to United Nations rights chief Volker Turk.
    Chris Kenning, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The newcomers to their abode are Jerry, a hunky Mormon flight attendant (Bomer), and Arthur, a haughty fashion doyen recently fired from Vogue (Graham).
    Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Just when things are looking up — a haughty British couple leaves this daughter of Oxfordshire a handsome tip — the dinner pervert turns up for his morning coffee.
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • There is evidence of motivated malicious actors abusing the 'verified account' to deceive users.
    Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Jose Velasquez-Martinez, 27, is charged with malicious wounding and murder in connection with 29-year-old Brandon Probst's death in Warrenton, according to the Fauquier County Sheriff's Office.
    Audrey Conklin, FOXNews.com, 4 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Disdainful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disdainful. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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