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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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 contempt Fauci will first face a contempt of Congress vote within the 15-member Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee, which has an eight-member Republican majority. — Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 6 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 But Washington insiders’ efforts to help Stevens actually worked against her in a year when Democratic voters were more aligned with El-Sayed’s contempt for the Establishment. — Philip Elliott, Time, 5 Aug. 2026 That fast-tracking of the process avoids the need for a vote in the full 100-member Senate, where Republicans likely lack the 60 votes required to move a contempt referral to passage. — Eric Tucker, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for contempt

Recent Examples of Synonyms for contempt

Noun

In the interview last week, Knight continued to make no effort to hide his disdain for Davis.

— Sasha Pezenik, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers brought attention to Abdul el Sayed’s disdain for the state’s beloved Mackinac Island with a trolling post.

— Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of disdain

Noun

The is mostly a political one that the far-right uses to stoke prejudice and hatred against a community already victimized by that and bullying.

— Greg Cote August 9, Miami Herald, 9 Aug. 2026
Nordic noir suggests the presence of violence and hatred beneath the tranquillity and order of the Scandinavian welfare state, just as Southern noir peels back hospitality and charm to reveal repressed family secrets and moral decay.

— Peter C. Baker, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of hatred

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“Contempt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contempt. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of contempt

noun

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