Pronunciation: /kənˈtɛmpt/

Definitions of contempt

noun the feeling that a person or a thing is beneath consideration, worthless, or deserving scorn

Example Sentences

A1 She looked at him with contempt after he made a rude comment.

A2 The teacher's contempt for the student's lack of effort was evident in her tone.

B1 The politician's contempt for the media was clear in his refusal to answer questions.

B2 The CEO's contempt for his competitors was evident in his aggressive business tactics.

C1 The artist's contempt for traditional art forms led her to experiment with new and innovative techniques.

C2 The judge's contempt for the defendant was palpable as he delivered the harsh sentence.

verb none

Example Sentences

A1 She showed contempt towards her classmates by ignoring them.

A2 He contempted the idea of working on weekends.

B1 The manager contempted the employee's lack of professionalism.

B2 The politician contempted the opposition's proposal during the debate.

C1 The artist contempted the critics who doubted his talent.

C2 The CEO contempted the board members for questioning her decisions.

adjective none

Example Sentences

A1 She looked at him with contempt in her eyes.

A2 The teacher spoke to the students with contempt, making them feel small.

B1 His contempt for authority was evident in the way he spoke to his boss.

B2 The politician's contempt for the working class was revealed in his policies.

C1 The artist's contempt for traditional art forms led her to create groundbreaking pieces.

C2 The CEO's contempt for his competitors was evident in his ruthless business tactics.

adverb none

Example Sentences

A1 She looked at him with contempt.

A2 The teacher spoke to the students with contempt.

B1 He treated his colleagues with contempt, making it difficult to work together.

B2 The politician's contempt for the opposition was evident in his speech.

C1 The artist's contempt for traditional art forms led to groundbreaking work.

C2 The CEO's contempt for the competition drove the company to new heights of success.

pronoun none

Example Sentences

A1 She looked at him with contempt.

A2 The teacher spoke to the students with contempt after they misbehaved.

B1 The manager showed contempt towards his employees for not meeting their targets.

B2 The politician's contempt for his opponents was evident in his speech.

C1 Her contempt for authority figures was well-known in the community.

C2 The artist's contempt for commercialism was reflected in his avant-garde works.

preposition none

Example Sentences

A1 She looked at him with contempt.

A2 The teacher spoke to the student with contempt.

B1 He treated his colleagues with contempt, which led to a toxic work environment.

B2 The politician's contempt for the opposition party was evident in his speeches.

C1 The CEO's contempt for the company's employees was a major factor in the high turnover rate.

C2 Her contempt for authority figures was well-known among her peers.

conjunction none

Example Sentences

A1 I have contempt for people who litter.

A2 She showed contempt towards her classmates by ignoring them.

B1 The defendant's contempt for the court was evident in his disrespectful behavior.

B2 His contempt for authority often got him into trouble at work.

C1 The politician's contempt for the opposition was clear in his aggressive speeches.

C2 The artist's contempt for traditional techniques led to groundbreaking innovations in her work.

interjection none

Example Sentences

A1 Contempt! That's not fair!

A2 Contempt! I can't believe you did that.

B1 Contempt! How could you betray me like that?

B2 Contempt! I have no respect for people who act that way.

C1 Contempt! Your behavior is despicable.

C2 Contempt! I refuse to associate with someone who shows such disregard for others.

article none

Example Sentences

A1 She looked at him with contempt when he made a rude comment.

A2 The teacher showed contempt towards the student who didn't do their homework.

B1 The politician's contempt for the media was evident in his speech.

B2 The CEO's contempt for his employees was clear in the way he spoke to them.

C1 The artist's contempt for traditional art forms was reflected in her experimental work.

C2 The judge's contempt for the defendant was palpable as he delivered the verdict.

Examples of contempt in a Sentence

formal The defendant showed nothing but contempt for the court during the trial.

informal She looked at him with pure contempt after he made that rude comment.

slang I can't stand that guy, he always acts with so much contempt towards everyone.

figurative The artist's use of dark colors and harsh lines in the painting conveyed a sense of contempt towards society.

Grammatical Forms of contempt

past tense

contemned

plural

contempts

comparative

more contemptuous

superlative

most contemptuous

present tense

contemns

future tense

will contemn

perfect tense

have contemned

continuous tense

is contemning

singular

contempt

positive degree

contemptuous

infinitive

to contemn

gerund

contemning

participle

contemned

Origin and Evolution of contempt

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Latin
Story behind the word: The word 'contempt' originated from the Latin word 'contemptus', which is derived from the verb 'contemnere' meaning 'to despise'.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'contempt' has retained its original meaning of disdain or scorn, but has also come to encompass the feeling of disrespect or disregard towards something or someone.