Word.ws English Dictionary

How to use condescension in a sentence

13 example sentences · noun

Condescension means the act of condescending; a manner of behaving in an outwardly polite way that nevertheless implies superiority to another; patronizing courtesy toward inferiors. Example: “Conscious condescension breeds panderers and enemies, not friends.”

Examples of condescension by meaning

nounThe act of condescending; a manner of behaving in an outwardly polite way that nevertheless implies superiority to...

  • Conscious condescension breeds panderers and enemies, not friends.
  • "Unfortunate situation," she replied, making an effort to moderate her superciliousness to mere condescension."1911, Robert Ames Bennet, Out of the Primitive
  • "Pardon me, my dear sir," repeated the Major, blandly, smoothly, and with an air of – well, not condescension, but gracious familiarity.1912, Joseph Crosby Lincoln, The Depot Master

More sentences with condescension

  • The hall porter came, a magnificent being, but full of affable condescension.1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards…. From the entry hall porter
  • MacLaine treats this character with exquisite sensitivity and without condescension.2000 December 1, Julie Salamon, “Television Review: On a New Limb With Shirley MacLaine”, in New York Times, retrieved 18 Oct 2011. From the entry broad strokes
  • Instead of establishing rapport, Dreiske distances us with her implicit condescension; her cool, measured, teacherly tone doesn't help matters, either.1988 November 18, Albert Williams, “Don't Call Me Cleo”, in Chicago Reader. From the entry teacherly
  • In such situations, whites often reflect their consciousness of group membership by overdeference which is as embarrassing to Negroes as condescension.1965, Earl H. Bell, John Sirjamaki, Social Foundations of Human Behavior, page 344. From the entry overdeference
  • That is to say, he talks a man's language without any of the pseudoair of condescension that confuses the non-articulate.1945, Lancer - Volume 2, page 6. From the entry pseudoair
  • Mother very rightly resented the slightest hint of condescension.1921, Ben Travers, chapter 2, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC. From the entry consider
  • The dark pronouncements about Disney’s purchase of ABC contain an element of condescension; Disney’s products have widespread appeal, making them easy targets for snobs.1995 August 11, “The Disneyphobes”, in Richmond Times-Dispatch, 145th year, number 223, Richmond, Va., page A14. From the entry Disneyphobia
  • Accordingly, the columnist is a Blondin, treading a tightrope over Victoria Falls between obscurity and triviality, condescension and ostentation, and often falling into the foaming minestrone.2013, Philip Howard, “What is the correct term?”, in Modern Manners: The Essential Guide to Correct Behaviour and Etiquette, London: The…. From the entry blondin
  • I smiled at them with the slight mix of condescension and thanks I thought befitted a beautiful woman as she passed schlumpier mortals on the street.2006, Kamy Wicoff, I Do But I Don't, →ISBN, page 222. From the entry schlumpy
  • With his Jovian air, his colossal condescension, his amused smile, his general suggestion of the god descending to the mortal, he could be quite overpowering in his amiability.1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html)…. From the entry jovian

Meaning of condescension

  1. noun The act of condescending; a manner of behaving in an outwardly polite way that nevertheless implies superiority to another; patronizing courtesy toward inferiors.
  2. noun A patronizing attitude or behavior.
  3. noun Courtesy, affability of a superior towards an inferior.

Full definition of condescension

Questions about condescension in a sentence

How do you use condescension in a sentence?
Condescension is used as a noun. For example: “Conscious condescension breeds panderers and enemies, not friends.”
What is a short sentence with condescension?
“Conscious condescension breeds panderers and enemies, not friends.”
What does condescension mean?
Condescension means the act of condescending; a manner of behaving in an outwardly polite way that nevertheless implies superiority to another; patronizing courtesy toward inferiors.

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: condescension (page history and authors) and the entries each sentence comes from. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws chose the sentences, left out offensive ones and quotations older than 1900, and marked the word in each. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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