dismissive

adjective

dis·​mis·​sive dis-ˈmi-siv 

: serving to dismiss or reject someone or something : having or showing a disdainful attitude toward someone or something regarded as unworthy of serious attention

He responded to the question with a dismissive wave.

In the past, Westerberg had been dismissive of Bob's playing, but he says relistening to the early records gave him a new perspective.

—Bob Weir

dismissively adverb

Writer Tom Fontana's violent, realistic drama debuted five years ago and uninitiated viewers still dismissively call it "that prison show on HBO."

—Ian Rothkerch

These are not people who speak dismissively of the brain's capabilities.

—Brad Leithauser

dismissiveness noun

The work of feminist scholars, both individually and collectively, has been greeted in some quarters with impatience, irritation, dismissiveness, even contempt.

—Cullen Murphy

Examples of dismissive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The leaks, some former service members say, paint a picture of a dismissive – and potentially dangerous – attitude toward operational security among senior U.S. leaders. —Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 26 Mar. 2025

While the clips are full of praise for Salem 66’s original sound, there’s also more than a whiff of dismissive sexist attitudes and backhanded compliments in some of them. —Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2025

In addition, the reader wrote, the employee is dismissive of the idea that care with interpersonal skills requires his consideration. —Anna Holmes, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2025

Mark’s innie did not appreciate how dismissive his outie was of the life the innies built inside Lumon. —Brian Grubb, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1645, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dismissive

• derisive
• emissive
• permissive
• submissive
• transmissive
• missive