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Supercilious vs Nonchalant - What's the difference?

supercilious | nonchalant |

As adjectives the difference between supercilious and nonchalant

is that supercilious is arrogantly superior; showing contemptuous indifference; haughty while nonchalant is casually calm and relaxed.

supercilious

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Arrogantly superior; showing contemptuous indifference; haughty.
  • * 2013 May 23, , " British Leader’s Liberal Turn Sets Off a Rebellion in His Party," New York Times (retrieved 29 May 2013):
    • Buffeted by criticism of his policy on Europe, battered by rebellion in the ranks over his bill to legalize same-sex marriage and wounded by the perception that he is supercilious , contemptuous and out of touch with mainstream Conservatism, Mr. Cameron earlier this week took the highly unusual step of sending a mass e-mail (or, as he called it, “a personal note”) to his party’s grass-roots members.
  • *
    • Now he was a sturdy, straw haired man of thirty with a rather hard mouth and a supercilious manner.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * superciliously * superciliousness

    nonchalant

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Casually calm and relaxed.
    • We handled the whole frenetic situation with a nonchalant attitude.
  • Indifferent; unconcerned; behaving as if detached.
    • He is far too nonchalant about such a serious matter.

    Synonyms

    * (casually calm) carefree, cool, mellow, easygoing * (indifferent) , unconcerned * See also