scornful

IPA/ˈskɔːnfl/
KK[skˈɔrnfəl]IPA/ˈskɔːrnfl/

scornful — adjective

  • scornfulpositive
  • more scornfulcomparative
  • most scornfulsuperlative

1. expressing a clear opinion that someone or something is worthless, unimportant,

1.形容詞B2
釋義

expressing a clear opinion that someone or something is worthless, unimportant, or not worthy of serious attention

例句

The inspector gave the flawed report a scornful look before tossing it aside.

scornful look — collocation with nouns of expression

Salma's scornful tone made it clear she had no respect for the proposal.

scornful tone — common collocation

同義詞
  • contemptuous

    slightly more intense; suggests moral disgust rather than simple dismissal

  • disdainful

    often implies a feeling of superiority; someone who is disdainful acts as if something is beneath them

  • dismissive

    less emotional; suggests refusing to take something seriously rather than active contempt

  • sneering

    describes the facial expression or tone, often with a curl of the lip

反義詞

用法筆記

The most common prepositional construction is scornful of [something/someone], though scornful toward [someone] also occurs in formal writing. The adjective typically modifies nouns that describe facial expressions, tone of voice, or reactions — look, tone, laugh, remark, glance, smile.

常見錯誤

❌He was scornful about the plan.
✅He was scornful of the plan.
💡'scornful of' is the standard pattern; 'scornful about' is very rare and non-standard.
❌She made a scornful speech about politics.
✅She made a scornful remark about the politician.
💡'scornful' describes a dismissive attitude toward a specific target, not a general type of speech.