as in contempt
open dislike for someone or something considered unworthy of one's concern or respect
has nothing but scorn for newfangled ideas of any kind
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to disdain
to show contempt for
scorned the religious traditions of their ancestors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to despise
to ignore in a disrespectful manner
she scorned the advice of her ophthalmologist and had the laser eye surgery anyway
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of scorn
Adam Crafton, New York Times, 14 June 2025
Some strident Trump supporters did greet his elevation with scorn.
—Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 22 May 2025
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 26 May 2025
Presumably a runaway, Carol’s disappearance earned her family scorn and erasure.
—Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for scorn
Noun
The sight of empty seats for the Club World Cup will lead to plenty of scorn, and probably plenty of memes.
—Adam Crafton, New York Times, 14 June 2025
Some strident Trump supporters did greet his elevation with scorn.
—Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 22 May 2025
Verb
The novel brims with feeling for these figures, who, though scorned by society, belong to it nonetheless.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 26 May 2025
Presumably a runaway, Carol’s disappearance earned her family scorn and erasure.
—Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for scorn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scorn
Noun
-
Officials arrested the 55-year-old on Saturday after a Missouri judge held her in contempt of court for dodging court orders regarding $224,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs owed to PETA.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
23 July 2025
-
The series of photos — and a follow-up Valentine's Day post — were not well-received by Arroyo, who told PEOPLE that Rossi and Smiley barely saw Grayson and all there have been eight contempt of court orders over the years.—
Kayla Grant,
People.com,
18 July 2025
Verb
-
In the mainstream media, and the places where that brand is disdained, there is no room for attention.—
Jack Fowler,
National Review,
4 July 2025
-
Even Netflix’s content factory is now licensing the very YouTube creators whom audiences once disdained as amateurs.—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
17 July 2025
Verb
-
Colbert was canceled because the president has thin skin and despises anyone who tells jokes about him, but Colbert was also preaching to the converted.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
24 July 2025
-
After despising and envying his seemingly perfect new partner from afar, their coffee date is a chance for Jessica to reconcile with the fact that Wendy was never the bad guy after all.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
13 July 2025
Noun
-
Many were subjected to many forms of hatred spawned from these misunderstandings.—
Meredith Kile,
People.com,
21 July 2025
-
Despite his extensive progressive bona fides, Wertham’s hatred of the comics medium has forever branded him a right-wing zealot in the minds of comic fans.—
Vasilis K. Pozios,
HollywoodReporter,
18 July 2025
Verb
-
Bad sequels often downplay or disrespect themes or messages.—
Lauren Uppal,
Mercury News,
22 July 2025
-
In those rankings, Bryant was heavily disrespected and placed at No. 11 on the list.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 July 2025
Verb
-
We’re overrun by leaders who are psychopaths or sociopaths (people who disregard social norms and the rights of others).—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
18 July 2025
-
Even now, six months into President Trump’s second term, there’s a tendency to disregard his sometimes fiery rhetoric as mere big talk.—
Thomas Elias,
Mercury News,
4 July 2025
Verb
-
As a door-to-door fax machine saleswoman, Sara Blakely hated wearing traditional pantyhose.—
Iain Martin,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
-
The local media are used to it, but out-of-town media hate the setup.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
22 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scorn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scorn. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share