Basic+ Word of the Day: scorn

scorn (noun, verb) past tense: scorned

Scorn is open disrespect or hatred.

• Rhonda felt scorn for the friend who told lies about her.
• "If you cheat on the exam, you risk the scorn of your fellow students."

Scorn also means ‘to treat with contempt or hatred.’

• During the debate, the candidate scorned his opponent.
• Although Megan tried to help, they scorned her actions.

Don't confuse it with

corn: a tall cereal plant. Example: “Polenta is made out of corn meal.”

Did you know?

“Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,” is an expression based on a quote from a 17th century play by William Congreves. It means that no anger is worse than that of a woman who has been disrespected or deceived.

In pop culture

Scorn is a horror video game set in a nightmarish universe. Watch the trailer, if you dare:

There are other meanings of scorn.