Meaning & use
contemptuous or contemptible
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Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
A pair of adjectives often confused: 'contemptuous' means showing scorn, while 'contemptible' means deserving scorn.
Grammar: Used when choosing between the two words: 'contemptuous' describes the person who feels contempt; 'contemptible' describes the person or thing that deserves it.
Patterns
- be contemptuous of someone
- a contemptuous remark
- contemptible behavior
Learners often ask whether to write 'contemptuous' or 'contemptible'.
He gave a contemptuous laugh, but his cheating was contemptible.
The difference between contemptuous or contemptible is who holds the feeling and who deserves it.
adjectivecomparabledisapproving
Feeling or showing that someone or something is worthless and deserves no respect.
Grammar: Often followed by 'of': She was contemptuous of their efforts.
Patterns
- contemptuous of someone
- a contemptuous look/smile/remark
The manager was contemptuous of anyone who questioned his plan.
She gave a contemptuous shrug and walked away.
His contemptuous tone made the whole meeting uncomfortable.
adjectivecomparabledisapproving
So bad, dishonest, or cowardly that people feel scorn for it.
Grammar: Describes the thing or person that earns scorn, not the person feeling it: a contemptible lie.
Patterns
- contemptible behavior/action
- a contemptible person
Spreading rumors about a sick colleague is contemptible behavior.
He called the attack a contemptible act of cowardice.
It was contemptible of them to blame the intern.
Common combinations
- contemptuous of
- The older players were contemptuous of the new coach's ideas.
- a contemptuous remark
- He made a contemptuous remark about her accent.
- contemptible behavior
- Lying to protect yourself is contemptible behavior.
- utterly contemptible
- The way they treated the refugees was utterly contemptible.
- contemptuous look
- She shot him a contemptuous look across the table.
Synonyms and how they differ
- scornful
- Very close to 'contemptuous'; it also describes the person feeling scorn, and is slightly more literary.
- disdainful
- Means showing proud dislike; it fits a cool, superior attitude better than open anger.
- despicable
- Close to 'contemptible' but stronger and more emotional; it describes truly awful behavior.
- vile
- Much stronger than 'contemptible' and often used of disgusting or evil things.
Opposites
Word family
- contempt noun
- a strong feeling that someone or something is worthless
- contemptuously adverb
- in a way that shows scorn
- contemptibly adverb
- in a way that deserves scorn
Commonly confused: contemptuous or contemptible or contemptible?
contemptuous or contemptible vs contemptible
Do not mix the two up: 'contemptuous' = feeling scorn; 'contemptible' = deserving scorn. A contemptuous person looks down on others; a contemptible person is looked down on.
Practice
The judge described the fraud as ______ and sentenced him to five years.
Choose one answer.
'Contemptible' means deserving scorn, which fits a crime. 'Contemptuous' would mean the fraud itself was showing scorn, and C and D are the wrong parts of speech after 'as'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “contemptuous or contemptible”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.