Definition

Scornful refers to displaying contempt or disdain towards someone or something.

Pronunciation

US English

UK English


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Excerpts from News Articles

1

Those communications have shown how employees at Fox expressed serious doubts about and, at times, were scornful of Mr. Trump and his allies as they spread lies about voter fraud, questioning the legitimacy of Mr. Biden’s election. Some at Fox mocked Mr. Trump and his lawyers as “crazy” and under the influence of drugs like L.S.D. and magic mushrooms.

Logo 2023-04-18 The New York Times

2

Ruto and his supporters have been scornful of the opposition’s demands, saying they have no basis in law, morality or logic. Ruto dismissed the protests as acts of economic terrorism.

Logo 2023-04-03 The Conversation

3

Some of the exhibits were simply embarrassing, such as scornful behind-the-scenes opinions about Trump, whose supporters form the core of the network’s viewers. Text exchanges revealed as part of the lawsuit show Carlson declaring, “I hate him passionately,” and saying that “we are very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights.”

Logo 2023-04-18 Associated Press

4

No one thought seriously, then, about the disappearance of men’s single-sex spaces. The idea that men and boys need places where they can be with other men (defended, for example, in Jack Donovan’s The Way of Men) would have been cause, amongst the women I knew, for scornful laughter. In 2018, anti-male assumptions had become so deeply entrenched that the female author of a Guardian article titled Men-only clubs and menace: how the establishment maintains male power simply could not believe that any decent man could legitimately seek out male-only company.

Logo 2023-04-15 The Spectator

5

A mere three months ago, the American press and government officials were eagerly and forcefully denouncing China over what they labeled as the "spy balloon" affair. The decision by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to postpone a planned visit to China in the aftermath of the balloon incident now appears even more scornful in light of the leak scandal. As per the Pentagon, a trove of classified documents was released on the popular online platform Discord, of which some were allegedly doctored.

Logo 2023-04-18 CGTN

6

The discovery process of the Dominion lawsuit revealed a glut of Carlson’s text messages and emails which exposed him as scornful of stories which he presented to his audience as “truth”.

Logo 2023-04-25 The Independent

7

Some attendees speak (and shout) in Romanian, others in Hungarian. A French visitor — a conservationist for an NGO and a symbolic representative of the European Union — bleats a few conciliating sentiments but is scornfully shut down. The people have spoken and not on behalf of peace, reconciliation, democracy and human rights.

Logo 2023-04-27 The New York Times

8

Keir Starmer’s party enjoys a 15-point lead in the polls over the Tories. But those who think the election is in the bag for Labour, should take a visit to the Red Wall. Voters here are disappointed by the failed promises of the Tories. But they are equally scornful of a Labour party they think has much in common with those in power.

Logo 2023-05-01 The Spectator