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
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.