Word: contempt

Associations

Contempt means a strong feeling of disapproval or dislike for someone or something. It reflects a lack of respect or value for that person or thing.

• A judge showed contempt for the defendant's outrageous behavior in court. This indicates that the judge found the behavior to be insulting.
• She felt contempt for the unfair treatment of her colleagues. This means she disapproved of how her colleagues were being treated and looked down on that situation.
• His contempt for authority often led him into trouble at school. Here, it shows that he did not respect rules or figures of authority, which can have negative consequences.

The well-known synonym for contempt is "disdain." The difference is that disdain often implies a feeling of superiority over the one being disdained, suggesting that one sees oneself as better than others. Contempt, however, doesn't necessarily involve that sense of superiority; it may just reflect strong disapproval.

Substitution

Instead of "contempt," you could use words like:

• Disdain: This implies looking down on someone or something.
• Scorn: This suggests an intense feeling of contempt, often coupled with ridicule.
• Disrespect: This focuses more on a lack of respect rather than a strong negative feeling.

Using these words changes the nuance. "Disdain" can imply superiority, "scorn" can bring in an element of mockery, and "disrespect" emphasizes the absence of respect.

Deconstruction

The word "contempt" comes from the Latin root "contemnere," which means "to scorn."

• "Con-" means "with" or "altogether."
• "Temnere" means "to despise" or "to scorn." Thus, contempt literally suggests a strong overall feeling of scorn or disregard.

Historically, contempt is often used in legal contexts, where someone might show contempt for court, reflecting their disregard for the law or the judicial process.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a situation where you felt contempt for someone's actions? What did they do that made you feel this way?
• How do you think contempt affects personal relationships?
• Have you ever witnessed someone being treated with contempt? How did it make you feel?