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Contemptuous vs Scathing - What's the difference?

contemptuous | scathing |

As adjectives the difference between contemptuous and scathing

is that contemptuous is showing contempt; expressing disdain; showing a lack of respect while scathing is harshly or bitterly critical.

As a verb scathing is

.

contemptuous

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Showing contempt; expressing disdain; showing a lack of respect.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers)
    • , chapter=5, title= A Cuckoo in the Nest , passage=The most rapid and most seductive transition in all human nature is that which attends the palliation of a ravenous appetite.

    Derived terms

    * contemptuously

    Related terms

    * contempt

    scathing

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • harshly or bitterly critical
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=December 14 , author=Angelique Chrisafis , title=Rachida Dati accuses French PM of sexism and elitism , work=Guardian citation , page= , passage=For months, Dati warned she would refuse to stand aside. Now she has stunned the political class with an open letter to Fillon in Le Monde, a scathing character assassination accusing him of the "lone ambition" of a disillusioned political elite, of doing politics in a way that "never favoured women" and stopping ethnic-minority candidates from progressing at elections. She said he was committing "a sad mistake" in trying to run in Paris.}}
  • harmful or painful; acerbic

    • Verb

    (head)

    • Anagrams

    *