as in patronizing
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1
as in stooping
to descend to a level that is beneath one's dignity
I will not condescend to answer the sore loser's charge that I cheated in order to win the race
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cutting
to assume or treat with an air of superiority
wealthy people who tend to be condescending toward their poor relations
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of condescending
Jack Irvin, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Dismissing these concerns as mere xenophobia is both condescending and factually wrong.
—Letters To The Editor, Oc Register, 14 Sep. 2025
Timothy J. Pawl, The Conversation, 23 Feb. 2026
This phrase is typically dismissive, condescending, and a little bit haughty, even when intended as humor.
—John Bowe, CNBC, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for condescending
Adjective
That song is fantastic to me because… pet names can be very condescending.
—Jack Irvin, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Dismissing these concerns as mere xenophobia is both condescending and factually wrong.
—Letters To The Editor, Oc Register, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
Being condescending, far from being a virtue, is universally acknowledged as a vice.
—Timothy J. Pawl, The Conversation, 23 Feb. 2026
This phrase is typically dismissive, condescending, and a little bit haughty, even when intended as humor.
—John Bowe, CNBC, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for condescending
Recent Examples of Synonyms for condescending
Adjective
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John’s patronizing, congratulatory tone with regard to Weisz’s character’s dalliance with Vlad doesn’t help.—
Meg Walters,
Glamour,
9 Mar. 2026
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Also, a 2021 study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research documented hostile environments in economics seminars, with female presenters experiencing more interruptions and encountering more patronizing behavior.—
Yana van der Meulen Rodgers,
The Conversation,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
High-torque joints in the waist enable deep squatting and stooping, supporting operations that require strength and flexibility.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Nov. 2025
-
Dier was stooping slightly but the Portuguese midfielder’s leg was at least chest-high.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The series has devolved into a hysteria that the young and arrogant Timberwolves feed on since that first quarter of Game 2.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
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However, many thought Tilson Thomas too brash and arrogant to lead an orchestra, and, around the same time, Tilson Thomas fell in with New York’s disco-hopping crowd.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The new biopic of Jackson from director Antoine Fuqua and the Jackson estate paints the gloved one as the one true victim — a harmless Peter Pan figure whose own childhood was snatched away by a domineering father.—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Joseph has a cruel and domineering air about him.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The popularity of e-bikes and e-motos has soared since the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving lawmakers and law enforcement scrambling to regulate the bikes that are often used by young riders ignorant or disdainful of the rules of the road.—
Sean Emery,
Oc Register,
22 Apr. 2026
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In real life, Natalie is detached from her children and disdainful of her spouse, prone to violent outbursts as the farm spins out of her control.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Running Furrever Friends is Brandi (Amy Sedaris), a bossy little Shih Tzu, and her owner, Seth (Gil Ozeri).—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The shark is a pleasing stand-in for a big bossy grownup, easily fooled.—
Elise Broach,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Characters are skewed not to create an evenhanded debate but to sensationalize one, with a young fact-minded novice looking to follow the rules is blindsided by a supercilious writer not willing to bend his vision to the needs of editors, fact checkers or even printers or distributors.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
21 Apr. 2026
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And now the supercilious Ivy League twits try to dodge the consequences of their woke follies.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
24 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
His first goal was pretty enough, an inch-perfect sidefoot just inside Donnarumma’s far post, but his second was a work of impudent art.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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Gemma reluctantly agrees to rebuild her impudent robot in a new body, and the sequel ends with an explosive showdown between Amelia and M3GAN, who nearly dies in a noble attempt to save Gemma and her niece, Cady (Violet McGraw).—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
29 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Condescending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/condescending. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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