What does contemning mean?
"Contemning" is the present participle and gerund of the verb "contemn," meaning to treat someone or something with open contempt or disdain — to regard it as beneath consideration or worthy of scorn. A writer contemning an opponent's arguments dismisses them not merely with disagreement but with active derision. The word descends from Latin "contemnere" ("to slight or despise"), the same root that gives English "contempt" and "contemptible." Though once reasonably common, contemning has become decidedly rare outside legal documents, theological writing, and deliberately archaic literary prose. Its connotation is severe and disapproving: it implies not casual dislike but a settled, often haughty judgment that its object lacks worth. Because it so closely resembles "condemn" in spelling, readers frequently mistake it for a misspelling, which makes encountering it genuinely striking — and using it correctly a mark of a well-read vocabulary.
verb (present participle and gerund)The act of treating someone or something with contempt or disdain; regarding as worthless or deserving scorn.
- To treat with contempt or disdain; to regard as despicable or unworthy.
"The old scholar spent his career contemning fashionable theories he considered shallow."
"The reformer was accused of contemning the traditions of the church."
"He spoke quietly, but his manner suggested he was contemning every word she said."
Contemn looks like a typo for 'condemn' — but it's a real, centuries-old word meaning to hold in utter scorn.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of contemning
"Contemning" derives from the Latin verb "contemnere," meaning to slight, despise, or hold cheap — formed from "con-" (an intensive prefix) plus "temnere" ("to despise"). English adopted the verb "contemn" in the late Middle English period, and it shares this Latin ancestry with "contempt" (via Latin "contemptus") and "contemptible." It is related only loosely to "condemn," which comes from a different Latin root, despite their similar spellings.
Related word forms
How contemning is actually used
Highly formal and rare in modern usage; found chiefly in legal, religious, and literary registers. The verb 'contemn' survives mostly in archaic or deliberately elevated prose; most modern writers use 'despise' or 'scorn' instead.
Easily confused with contemning
Contemplating means thinking about something thoughtfully, while contemning means treating it with scorn or contempt.