What does contemptuously mean?
Contemptuously is an adverb describing behaviour performed with contempt — that is, with open scorn, disdain, or a sense of superiority toward whatever is being dismissed. A person who laughs contemptuously at an argument, waves aside a request contemptuously, or speaks contemptuously of a rival signals not merely disapproval but a judgement that the other party is unworthy of respect. The word carries a strongly negative connotation and typically implies an imbalance of status or confidence between the person expressing contempt and its object. It derives from the Latin contemnere, meaning to despise or look down upon, entering English through the related noun contempt and adjective contemptuous. Because it names a specific attitude rather than mere rudeness, contemptuously is valuable in precise descriptive writing: it tells readers exactly how an action was done, not simply that it was unpleasant.
adverbIn a manner showing contempt; with open disdain or scorn for a person, idea, or thing regarded as worthless or beneath consideration.
- Expressing or showing contempt, scorn, or disdain in one's words, manner, or actions.
"She waved away his apology contemptuously and walked out of the room."
"He contemptuously tossed the unsigned contract into the wastebasket."
"'You actually believe that?' she asked, her voice edged contemptuously."
It comes from the Latin word for 'to trample underfoot' — to treat someone contemptuously is, literally, to look down as if they were dirt beneath your feet.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of contemptuously
Contemptuously traces back to the Latin verb contemnere, meaning 'to despise' or literally 'to trample down', formed from com- ('with') and temnere ('to scorn'). The Latin stem passed into English via Old French and Middle French as the noun contempt, attested from the late fourteenth century, with the adjective contemptuous following in the early modern period. The adverb contemptuously was formed regularly by adding -ly to contemptuous, appearing in English usage by the seventeenth century. Its cognates include contemptible and, more distantly, words descended from the same Latin root for scorning, such as condemn-adjacent forms in Romance languages like Spanish desden and Italian sdegno, which developed along separate paths.
How contemptuously is actually used
The word is strongly negative and evaluative — it characterizes not just disagreement but active scorn, implying the target is beneath serious regard. It appears in both everyday speech and literary narration, often paired with physical gestures such as waving, tossing, or turning away.
Easily confused with contemptuously
Contemptuous is the adjective describing a feeling or expression of scorn, while contemptuously is its adverb form describing how an action is performed.
Contemptible means deserving contempt (as in 'a contemptible lie'), whereas contemptuously describes someone actively showing contempt toward something else.