condescending

Behaving towards another person in a way that signals you see yourself as smarter, more skilled, or more important — often by explaining simple things in a slow voice, or by sounding polite in a way that feels fake and insulting.

• patronizing

  near-identical meaning; slightly more common in everyday speech

• snobbish

  implies looking down on others because of class or wealth rather than knowledge

• supercilious

  formal; suggests a cold, silent contempt rather than an explicit talking-down tone

• haughty

  stresses proud distance and refusal to engage, less about explaining-down behaviour

• humble

  treats others as equals or as more important than oneself

• respectful

  neutral opposite; shows regard for the listener's intelligence and feelings