1
as in pitiful
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
the contemptible thieves who stole the Christmas gifts intended for needy children
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pathetic
deserving pitying scorn (as for inadequacy)
a contemptible attempt at science fiction by someone with no understanding of the genre
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in vile
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency
the contemptible behavior of the students who took part in the hazing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples of contemptible in a Sentence
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Recent Examples on the Web
If one strips away the many glittering layers that have been added to her avatar by the operators and sycophants of America’s contemptible national press, one soon notices that Kamala Harris has a policy problem.
—
Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, 29 July 2024
The good news is that Rubio’s Ukraine vote appears to have been merely an act of contemptible political expediency rather than a conversion to isolationism.
—Max Boot, Washington Post, 5 July 2024
The contemptible mistreatment of Marie Yovanovitch—the ambassador to Ukraine who was dismissed for getting in the way of the president’s scheme to solicit foreign interference in U.S. elections—is just the latest example of President Donald Trump’s dangerous brand of diplomatic malpractice.
—William J. Burns, Foreign Affairs, 14 Oct. 2019
The administration’s omnibus rule is a contemptible abuse of executive power.
—Madeleine Kearns, National Review, 19 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for contemptible 
Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, 29 July 2024
The good news is that Rubio’s Ukraine vote appears to have been merely an act of contemptible political expediency rather than a conversion to isolationism.
—Max Boot, Washington Post, 5 July 2024
The contemptible mistreatment of Marie Yovanovitch—the ambassador to Ukraine who was dismissed for getting in the way of the president’s scheme to solicit foreign interference in U.S. elections—is just the latest example of President Donald Trump’s dangerous brand of diplomatic malpractice.
—William J. Burns, Foreign Affairs, 14 Oct. 2019
The administration’s omnibus rule is a contemptible abuse of executive power.
—Madeleine Kearns, National Review, 19 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for contemptible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contemptible
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, nearly one-third of election offices don’t have any full-time staff, wages are pitiful, and turnover rates grew from 28 percent in 2004—already high—to nearly 39 percent in 2022.Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 25 Oct. 2024
-
The plight of Zimbabwe, moreover, remains pitiful, a once prosperous country not only reduced to economic ruin but also trapped in a culture of corruption and violence that Mugabe fostered since gaining power in 1980 and that is now deeply embedded among the ruling elite.Martin Meredith, Foreign Affairs, 13 Feb. 2018
Adjective
-
The upcoming sequel to This Is Spinal Tap will be turning the pathetic knobs all the way to 11.Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 1 Nov. 2024
-
After a downright pathetic few weeks, the Russians regrouped—or at least got regrouped enough.Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Flash forward 92-plus years to Donald Trump’s rally Sunday at New York’s Madison Square Garden, a bleak, lurid festival of racist hate and profane vituperation so vile that even fellow Republicans, who have turned a blind eye to Trump’s character for years, are distancing themselves from the event.Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024
-
The mass protests, vile sound bites, revolving door to his administration, and constant threats of violence and war have been exhausting.Brea Baker, refinery29.com, 24 Oct. 2024
Adjective
-
As holidays go, however, Flag Day can feel a bit lame.Kevin Fisher-Paulson, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 June 2021
-
My 11-year-old loved watching the pups roll balls and play a giant floor piano, but for non-dog owners (guilty as charged), parts of the series—like dressing dogs in little hats and outfits for a Parisian fashion show—feel lame.Tim Neville, Outside Online, 23 Nov. 2020
Adjective
-
The soaring harmonies on the chorus, the nasty edge to the bass line, the way the horns add sizzle to an already piping-hot track; these are all the indelible hallmarks of Jones’ work.Elias Leight, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2024
-
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave took a nasty hit in their Week 9 game against the Carolina Panthers and was carted off the field.David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
For more advice, check out our guide on the best time to book a flight, read about the best ways to find cheap flights, and discover the best time of day to fly to avoid cancellations.Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Nov. 2024
-
Soon, demand outpaced the supply of 2C-B available in Latin America, so Colombian dealers cut the powder with cheaper, longer-lasting, and more abundant European imports like MDMA and ketamine.Celia Ford, Vox, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Yes, but: Charlie Bailey, a former Fulton County gang prosecutor who ran for lieutenant governor as a Democrat in 2022, told Axios that the RICO law was created to catch leaders of criminal organizations who weren't doing the dirty work.Kristal Dixon, Axios, 4 Nov. 2024
-
Carbon emissions would increase because there is a dearth of renewables and the world would have to burn dirtier fossil fuels from non-Western entities.Dan Ikenson, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Bill undergoes a moral crisis when his path crosses with a wretched head nun (Emily Watson) at a convent that’s part of the notorious Magdalene Laundries — a place of severe abuse of women.Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
-
The quirky, engaging film centers on the wretched and lonely lives of 1970s Australian twins — Grace (Sarah Snook) and Gilbert (Kodi Smit-McPhee) — who weather rotten foster families apart after their alcoholic, paraplegic father dies.Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024
Articles Related to contemptible
Thesaurus Entries Near contemptible
Cite this Entry
“Contemptible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemptible. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share