Scorn
/skɔrn/
nounverbB2
Definition
Scorn is when someone shows or feels strong dislike and thinks another person or thing is not worthy of respect or attention. It is often a harsh and clear way of saying that something or someone is bad or silly. People can scorn others by speaking or acting in a way that shows they look down on them.
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⚡ See It in Action
Noun: A strong feeling of dislike and disrespect
- •She looked at the broken toy with scorn.
- •His scorn for cheating was clear in his voice.
- •The teacher’s scorn made the student feel ashamed.
Verb: To show or express strong dislike and disrespect
- •They scorned the idea as foolish and unrealistic.
- •He was scorned by his friends for lying.
- •Don’t scorn others just because they think differently.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "scorn" like "dislike," but much stronger and with a feeling of disrespect or looking down on someone
- ✓Picture a person rolling their eyes and laughing at someone’s idea because they think it is silly or worthless
- ✓It's the feeling when you see someone being treated unfairly and others clearly show they think that person is bad or not important
- ✓Sounds like "scorn" → imagine a sharp thorn that pricks your skin, just like scorn can hurt feelings deeply
- ✓In stories, villains often show scorn to heroes by mocking or insulting them to make them feel small
- ✓NOT like "ignore" (which means to pay no attention), scorn means to pay attention but with strong dislike and disrespect
- ✓NOT like "hate" (strong feeling of dislike), scorn includes looking down on someone as unworthy or silly, not just dislike
- ✓NOT like "criticize" (point out problems), scorn is more about disrespect and not caring about feelings
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Disdain: strong dislike and disrespect (Use when you want a formal word for looking down on someone or something)
- •Mock: to make fun of someone (Use when scorn is shown by laughing or making jokes)
- •Reject: to refuse to accept (Use when scorn means not accepting an idea or person)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no clear prefix or suffix; base word)
- •Etymology: From Old French "escarn," meaning to mock or make fun of
- •Historical development: Used in English since the 1300s to mean showing contempt or disrespect
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe feelings or actions of strong dislike and disrespect, both as noun and verb
💭 Reflect & Connect
•How can scorn affect relationships between people or groups?
•Can scorn ever be useful or justified, or is it always harmful?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.People often show scorn when they ___ something they think is foolish or wrong.
2.The scorn in her voice made it clear she did not ___ the idea at all.
3.Unlike simple dislike, scorn includes a feeling of ___ or disrespect toward someone.
4.When someone scorns another person, they usually ___ their feelings openly.
5.He was scorned by the group because he ___ their values.
6.Scorn is different from ignoring because it shows ___, not just lack of attention.
7.The teacher’s scorn made the student feel ___ and ashamed.