Condescend

C1 16+

Pronunciation: /kənˈdɛsɛnd/

Definitions of condescend

verb To behave in a superior manner; to talk down to someone; to patronize.

Example Sentences

A1 She never condescends to anyone, always treating everyone with respect.

A2 The teacher condescended to explain the lesson again to the struggling student.

B1 It's important not to condescend when teaching new concepts to others.

B2 The manager condescended to listen to the concerns of the employees.

C1 He often condescends to offer his expertise to those in need.

C2 Despite his success, he never condescends to those who are less fortunate.

Examples of condescend in a Sentence

formal She refused to condescend to his level of ignorance during the debate.

informal Don't condescend to me like I don't know what I'm talking about.

slang Stop condescending to me, I'm not a child.

figurative The wealthy woman would often condescend to help the less fortunate in her community.

Grammatical Forms of condescend

past tense

condescended

plural

condescend

comparative

more condescending

superlative

most condescending

present tense

condescends

future tense

will condescend

perfect tense

have condescended

continuous tense

is condescending

singular

condescend

positive degree

condescending

infinitive

to condescend

gerund

condescending

participle

condescending

Origin and Evolution of condescend

First Known Use: 0015 year
Language of Origin: Latin
Story behind the word: The word 'condescend' originated from the Latin word 'con-' meaning 'together' and 'descendere' meaning 'to climb down'.
Evolution of the word: Originally used in a literal sense of physically descending, the word 'condescend' evolved to also mean behaving in a patronizing or superior manner towards others.