supercilious
/,sju:pə'siliəs/
Definition
- Adjective:
- Showing arrogant superiority and disdain: Expressing or characterized by feelings of haughty contempt or scorn towards others considered inferior.
- Expressive of contempt: Manifesting scorn or derision, often through facial expression, tone of voice, or manner.
Examples of Usage
- Adjective:
- She gave a supercilious laugh when she heard my suggestion. (Her laugh showed she thought the idea was beneath her.)
- His supercilious attitude made him very unpopular with his colleagues. (His arrogant and disdainful behavior caused others to dislike him.)
- The critic's review was dismissive and supercilious. (The review was written with a tone of contemptuous superiority.)
Advanced Usage
- "to be supercilious about something": To show arrogant disdain towards a particular thing or topic.
- He was supercilious about popular television shows, considering them intellectually worthless.
- "with supercilious indifference": Behaving with a scornful lack of interest or concern.
- She dismissed the complaint with supercilious indifference.
Variants and Related Words
- Superciliously (adverb): In a supercilious manner.
- He nodded superciliously and turned away.
- Superciliousness (noun): The quality or state of being supercilious.
- Her superciliousness was a mask for her own insecurities.
Synonyms
- Haughty: Arrogantly superior and disdainful.
- Disdainful: Showing contempt or lack of respect.
- Contemptuous: Manifesting, feeling, or expressing deep hatred or disapproval.
- Snobbish: Relating to or characteristic of a snob; condescending.
- Patronizing: Treating with an apparent kindness that betrays a feeling of superiority.
Antonyms
- Humble: Having or showing a modest or low estimate of one's own importance.
- Modest: Unassuming in the estimation of one's abilities or achievements.
- Respectful: Feeling or showing deference and respect.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- "To look down one's nose at someone/something": To regard with a supercilious or scornful attitude. (This idiom conveys a similar meaning of disdainful superiority.)
- Ever since he got that promotion, he looks down his nose at his old team.
Adjective
-
expressive of contempt
-
curled his lip in a supercilious smile
-
spoke in a sneering jeering manner
-
makes many a sharp comparison but never a mean or snide one
-
-
having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy
-
some economists are disdainful of their colleagues in other social disciplines
-
haughty aristocrats
-
his lordly manners were offensive
-
walked with a prideful swagger
-
very sniffy about breaches of etiquette
-
his mother eyed my clothes with a supercilious air
-
a more swaggering mood than usual- W.L.Shirer
-
Khám phá thêm
Các từ liên quan
Từ đồng nghĩa
Từ tương tự
Từ chứa "supercilious"
Từ có nhắc đến "supercilious"
