Meaning & use

scornful

adjective·Academic

Feeling or showing contempt or disdain for someone or something considered inferior or unworthy.

See it in a sentence

He gave a scornful laugh when I suggested we ask for directions.

Her scornful remarks about his cooking left him embarrassed at the table.

A note on using this word

Scornful usually takes the preposition 'of' before its object (scornful of his efforts) and describes both tone of voice and facial expression.

Words with a similar meaning

contemptuousdisdainfulderisive

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

respectfuladmiring

Make it your own

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