contemptuous

Preposition: of

• people: They are sometimes contemptuous of people less gifted than they.
• law: This state has rarely seen a company more contemptuous of law, environmental regulations, public health and corporate responsibility.
• idea: As Rawnsley says: " Blair was openly contemptuous of the idea that the Cabinet was an appropriate forum in which to make decisions.
• government: He is dismissive of the trade unions, contemptuous of big government, and instinctively libertarian.
• view: The Tories have a massive majority and are contemptuous of the views of the most vulnerable sections of our community.
• way: George Bush Jnr was also contemptuous of the way in which Bill Clinton had used foreign affairs to distract attention from dry-cleaning bills.

Modifies a noun

• ease: Derided by the critics, this show has managed to turn their petty words into straw with contemptuous ease.
• attitude: The contemptuous attitude to science is a largely European phenomenon, he continued.
• manner: Lupin in a most contemptuous manner, said: " What utter rot.
• term: Every time I referred to the villainy of Little Finality the people expressed their abhorrence of the fellow in the most contemptuous terms.
• tone: It's clear that Conrad didn't think very much of the place, which is generally described in rather contemptuous tones.
• treatment: Despite this contemptuous treatment, the trade unions have supported the rule changes of recent years which have centralized power and eroded party democracy.

Modifying Another Word

• openly: He has been openly contemptuous of Jamal throughout the new hearing.
• rather: In fact, he had always been rather contemptuous of those who espoused it.
• so: They find a dark pleasure in their ability to be so contemptuous of them.
• almost: With the set poised at 4-4, the 24-year-old produced an array of superb returns and groundstrokes to break serve with almost contemptuous ease.
• little: I do not think that Lizzie distrusted my sincerity, but it was evident that she was both bewildered and a little contemptuous.
• frankly: The general problem is that the New Labor turn of mind is frankly contemptuous of the past.

Used with adjective complement

become: We become contemptuous of other believers who we decide are not " walking the talk " as well as we think we are.