supercilious

USAGE SUMMARY

"supercilious" is a correct word to use in written English.
It is an adjective that means "showing an attitude of superiority, disdain, or haughtiness". You can use it when speaking of someone who assumes an air of superiority in their behavior or attitude. For example, "Jeffrey's supercilious attitude was off-putting; everyone felt uncomfortable around him."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I had remembered him as patrician, remote, supercilious, but Jane had seen more.

The Guardian - Arts

Queensland, who'll never lose the chip on their shoulder, wants more, and NSW, always supercilious, is desperate to end the pain.

The Guardian - Sport

Mr Cameron is a little too supercilious and much too liberal for most in his party.

The Economist

Both will be missing the point.Mr Mount (although a baronet, he eschews the use of his title) describes himself at different points in his life as idle, supercilious, incompetent and emotionally retarded.

The Economist

Instead of fraternity and fairness there was racism sometimes overt, more often and insidiously the supercilious tolerance that the empire cultivated.

The Economist

And, apart from the supercilious ape-descended journalists at the opening, the crowds seem to love it.

The Economist

So they tend to prefer Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert's relatively subtle (but still annoyingly supercilious) cultural politics of satire over Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck's anxious hours of direct, aggressively self-righteous defensive actions in an openly-waged culture war.

The Economist

As Mr Kornacki rightly suggests, one may well agree with the general stance of OWS that Wall Street is rife with corruption, that inequality and the influence of the wealthy need to be reined in while disapproving of tent cities reeking of trash and the supercilious entitlement of liberal arts majors aggrieved by the realisation that student loans aren't gifts.

The Economist

The right's current narrative about the left is that they're effete snobs who think they know better than everyone else and there's nothing quite as satisfying as watching a supercilious facade collapse into anger.

The Economist

That was embarrassing for the BCCI's president, N. Srinivasan, a supercilious cement tycoon, whose family company also owns the Chennai Super Kings IPL team.

The Economist

From the prime minister David Cameron down, the Tories were considered too posh, supercilious and in a time of austerity, rather cruel.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "supercilious" to describe someone whose arrogance is noticeable and expressed through their behavior or attitude.

Common error

Avoid using "supercilious" when you simply mean someone is superior in skill or knowledge. "Supercilious" always carries a negative connotation of arrogance and disdain, not just competence.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "supercilious" is to act as an adjective, modifying nouns to describe someone or something exhibiting an attitude of arrogant superiority. Examples from Ludwig, like describing someone as "supercilious" highlight this adjectival use.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

78%

Encyclopedias

12%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The adjective "supercilious" describes someone behaving with arrogant superiority, and as Ludwig confirms, it is used correctly in written English. Being very common, it often appears in News & Media, and Encyclopedias. To avoid misusing the term, remember that "supercilious" implies a negative judgment of arrogance rather than simply indicating someone is superior in a skill. Alternatives like "haughty" or "disdainful" can be considered, with the best choice depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey. The goal is to express your criticism appropriately without sounding "condescending".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

haughty

Focuses on an attitude of disdainful superiority.

arrogant

Emphasizes an exaggerated sense of one's own importance.

disdainful

Highlights a feeling of contempt or lack of respect.

pompous

Suggests self-importance and exaggerated display of dignity.

overbearing

Implies a domineering and oppressive manner.

conceited

Highlights an excessively favorable opinion of oneself.

presumptuous

Indicates boldness or readiness to assume undue privilege.

self-important

Emphasizes a high opinion of one's own significance.

snobbish

Highlights a belief in the superiority of one's own social class or tastes.

patronizing

Implies treating others with condescension.

FAQs

How do you use "supercilious" in a sentence?

You can use "supercilious" to describe someone who acts as though they are better than others. For instance, "The manager had a "supercilious" attitude towards the staff, making them feel undervalued."

What words are similar to "supercilious"?

Words similar to "supercilious" include "haughty", "arrogant", and "disdainful". All these words describe someone with a sense of superiority.

Is "supercilious" a positive or negative trait?

"Supercilious" is generally considered a negative trait, as it implies arrogance and looking down on others.

What's the difference between "supercilious" and "condescending"?

While both imply a sense of superiority, "supercilious" focuses more on the outward display of arrogance, while "condescending" implies a patronizing attitude towards others.