contempt

[ kuhn-tempt ]

noun

1. the feeling with which a person regards anything considered mean, vile, or worthless; disdain; scorn.
2. the state of being despised; dishonor; disgrace.
3. Law.
   1. willful disobedience to or open disrespect for the rules or orders of a court contempt of court or legislative body.
   2. an act showing such disrespect.

contempt

/ kənˈtɛmpt /

noun

1. the attitude or feeling of a person towards a person or thing that he considers worthless or despicable; scorn
2. the state of being scorned; disgrace (esp in the phrase hold in contempt )
3. wilful disregard of or disrespect for the authority of a court of law or legislative body

   contempt of court

Other Words From

• self-con·tempt noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of contempt¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin contemptus “despising, scorn,” noun derivative of contemnere “to despise, scorn”; contemn

Word History and Origins

Origin of contempt¹

C14: from Latin contemptus a despising, from contemnere to contemn

Idioms and Phrases

see familiarity breeds contempt .

Synonym Study

contempt , disdain , scorn imply strong feelings of disapproval and aversion toward what seems base, mean, or worthless. contempt is disapproval tinged with disgust: to feel contempt for a weakling . disdain is a feeling that a person or thing is beneath one's dignity and unworthy of one's notice, respect, or concern: a disdain for crooked dealing . scorn denotes open or undisguised contempt often combined with derision: He showed only scorn for those who were not as ambitious as himself.

Example Sentences

Third, Gaetz holds the neutral application of law and other proud traditions of the Justice Department in contempt.

From Los Angeles Times

Trump's contempt for the actual work of the military is well documented.

From Salon

Trump isn't just a simulacrum, but one that feels nothing but contempt for the real thing, which often has less surface glamour than his gold-painted fakes.

From Salon

It also warned that violating these guidelines would amount to contempt of court.

From BBC

In other words, while millions of Trump supporters are still decent human beings, the parts of them that support Trump’s fascistic policies and practices — the contempt for democracy, the appeals to hate against women and minorities and poor people, the opposition to democracy, the disregard for facts that contradict their narrative — are most definitely not decent.

From Salon

Related Words

• antipathy
• condescension
• defiance
• derision
• disdain
• disregard
• disrespect
• distaste
• hatred
• malice
• mockery
• neglect
• ridicule
• scorn