Definition Synonyms
Definition of contempt - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun
1.
disrespectdisregard for something that should be considered
- His contempt for authority led to frequent clashes with his superiors..
2.
emotionfeeling of scorn towards something considered worthless
- She looked at him with contempt.
3.
legalTECH. willful disobedience to a court's authorityTECH.
- He was fined for contempt of court.
Expressions with contempt
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
deserving no respect or attention
The way he treated his friends was beneath contempt.
knowing someone well leads to losing respect
After years of working together, familiarity breeds contempt among the team members.
consider someone unworthy of respect
She holds him in contempt for his actions.
feel strong dislike or disrespect toward someone or something
She has contempt for people who lie.
showing disrespect or scornfully
He spoke in contempt of their efforts.
showing disrespect or disregard for rules or authority
He acted in contempt of the court's order.
cause people to lose respect for someone or something
His actions brought the company into contempt.
strong dislike or hatred for oneself
He struggled with self-contempt after his mistake.
defiance, insult, or obstruction toward a judge’s orders
The witness was fined for contempt of court after refusing to answer.
disobeying a court order
He was jailed for civil contempt after ignoring the court order.
conduct defying a judge’s directive or disrupting case proceedings
The judge found him guilty of criminal contempt after repeated outbursts.
disregard or disobedience towards the authority of the U.S. Congress
He was charged with contempt of Congress after refusing to testify..
Origin of contempt
Latin, contemptus (scorn, disdain)
Terms with contempt included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
expression
shout made to show disapproval or contempt
insult
express anger and contempt towards someone
disrespect
showing extreme contempt or disrespect
disdain
regard with contempt or condescension
disapproval
viewed with disapproval or contempt
mean teasing
expressing contempt, often by copying someone's manner in a nasty way
poor quality
deserving contempt due to inadequacy
satire
mocking or ironic language used to insult or show contempt
mocking
laugh at with contempt and derision
contempt
open disrespect for someone or something
emotion
showing contempt or mocking in a subtle way
expression
express contempt by exhaling through the nose
behavior
show blatant disrespect or contempt towards someone
disrespect
show disrespect or contempt for someone or something
expressive slang
used to express annoyance or contempt
hand sign
gesture showing insult or contempt
behavior
regarded with contempt or rudeness
communication
expression of dismissal or contempt towards someone
behavior
treat someone with scorn or contempt
emotion
express disapproval or contempt
mockery
act of mocking or showing contempt
contemptible
deserving strong dislike or contempt
emotion
feel contempt or deep repugnance for someone or something
emotion
feeling of contempt for something inferior
Examples of contempt in a sentence
The contempt in his voice was unmistakable. His contempt for the corrupt system was evident. The artist faced contempt from critics who misunderstood her work. The lawyer was warned for contempt during the trial. Contempt charges were filed against the uncooperative witness.
View all translations of contempt
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:mépris, outrage au tribunal, ...
- German:Missachtung, Verachtung, ...
- Italian:disprezzo, sdegno, ...
- Spanish:desdén, menosprecio, ...
- Portuguese:desprezo, menosprezo, ...
- Chinese:蔑视, 轻蔑, ...
- Japanese:無視, 軽蔑, ...
- Arabic:اِزْدِرَاء, احتقار, ...
- Hebrew:בּוּז, תִּעוּב, ...
- Russian:презрение, пренебрежение, ...
- Ukrainian:презирство, непокора суду, ...
- Hindi:अवज्ञा, अवमानना, ...
icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.
icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.
icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the