This page in your language
فارسی العربية Deutsch Español Français 日本語 한국어 Português 中文 हिन्दी
A2 adjective 9 min read

desprezador

Examples desprezador in 30 Seconds
Explanation desprezador in your Level:
At the A1 level, the word 'desprezador' is quite advanced. However, you can understand it by looking at the base word 'desprezo' (no respect). Imagine someone who says 'No' or 'This is bad' to everything without a good reason. At this stage, just remember that 'desprezador' describes a person who doesn't like or respect things. You might see it in simple stories about a 'bad' character who doesn't like anyone. It's important to know it's an adjective for people. For example: 'O homem é desprezador.' (The man is scornful). Don't worry about using it in your own speech yet; focus on recognizing the 'des-' prefix, which often means 'not' or 'opposite', and the '-dor' suffix, which often refers to a person who does an action.
Sign up free to read full explanation
At the A2 level, you are starting to describe personalities. 'Desprezador' is a useful word to describe a person who is not just 'not nice' (antipático), but specifically someone who thinks they are better than others. You should learn that it changes to 'desprezadora' for women. You can use it in simple sentences like 'Minha vizinha é desprezadora' (My neighbor is scornful). You should also start to distinguish it from 'arrogante'. An 'arrogante' person loves themselves, while a 'desprezador' person dislikes others. This distinction helps you build a more precise vocabulary for describing the people around you in Portuguese-speaking cultures.
At the B1 level, you can use 'desprezador' to discuss social issues or characters in books and movies. You should be able to use it with prepositions, such as 'Ele é desprezador de conselhos' (He is a scorner of advice). This shows a higher level of control over the language. You will also encounter it in news articles or more complex stories. At this stage, you should understand that 'desprezador' is more formal than 'metido' or 'chato'. You can use it to explain why a character in a story is lonely or why a politician is losing support. It adds a layer of psychological depth to your descriptions.
Sign up free to read full explanation
At the B2 level, you should be comfortable using 'desprezador' in both written and spoken Portuguese. You understand the nuance that it implies a judgment of worthlessness. You can use it metaphorically, like 'um olhar desprezador' (a scornful look) or 'um tom desprezador' (a scornful tone). You should also be aware of its synonyms like 'desdenhoso' and 'altivo' and know when to choose one over the other based on the context. Your ability to use 'desprezador' to describe not just people, but also attitudes and institutional stances, shows a strong grasp of Portuguese vocabulary and social nuance.
Sign up free to read full explanation
At the C1 level, 'desprezador' becomes a tool for precise stylistic expression. You can use it to critique literature, art, or political theory. You understand its historical weight and how it has been used by great Portuguese-speaking authors. You can identify the difference between 'um desprezador' (the person) and 'um ato desprezador' (the act), and you can use the word to construct complex arguments about human behavior. You are also aware of regional variations and how the word might be perceived in different Lusophone countries, using it to add a touch of sophistication or gravity to your discourse.
Sign up free to read full explanation
At the C2 level, 'desprezador' is part of your near-native vocabulary. You can use it with absolute precision, often employing it in ironic or highly formal contexts. You understand the deep etymological roots and can play with the word in creative writing. You might use it to describe an abstract concept, like 'o tempo desprezador de glórias humanas' (time, the scorner of human glories). Your usage is indistinguishable from a native speaker who has a high level of education. You can navigate the subtle boundary between 'desprezador' and its most obscure synonyms with ease, ensuring your tone is always perfectly aligned with your intent.
Sign up free to read full explanation
Examples

desprezador in 30 Seconds

  • Means 'scornful' or 'contemptuous'.
  • Changes to 'desprezadora' for feminine.
  • Stronger and more formal than 'arrogante'.
  • Often followed by the preposition 'de'.
The Portuguese word desprezador is an adjective, and occasionally a noun, that describes someone who feels or demonstrates a profound lack of respect, value, or consideration for something or someone else. Derived from the verb desprezar (to despise or to scorn), it carries a weight of superiority and dismissal. In Portuguese culture, being labeled a desprezador suggests a specific kind of coldness; it is not merely about hatred, which is an active and passionate emotion, but rather about the absence of worth attributed to the object of scorn. When you use this word, you are highlighting a person's tendency to look down upon others, often from a perceived height of intellectual, social, or moral superiority. It is a word that appears frequently in literature and formal critiques but can also be found in everyday conversations when discussing someone's dismissive attitude toward art, social norms, or personal relationships.
Grammatical Gender
The word changes based on the gender of the person being described: desprezador for masculine and desprezadora for feminine.

O crítico de arte tinha um olhar desprezador para com as novas tendências.

Emotional Nuance
Unlike 'odiador' (hater), a 'desprezador' doesn't necessarily expend energy on the object; they simply deem it unworthy of their time.

Ela sempre foi uma desprezadora das convenções sociais tradicionais.

Social Context
In Portuguese history, particularly in the 19th-century literature of Eça de Queirós, the 'desprezador' is a common trope representing the bored, cynical aristocrat.

Ele lançou um sorriso desprezador antes de sair da sala.

A natureza é desprezadora dos esforços humanos inúteis.

Não seja tão desprezador com quem está apenas tentando ajudar.

Understanding this word requires grasping the difference between 'desprezo' (contempt) and 'desdém' (disdain). While similar, 'desprezador' implies a more active state of devaluation. It suggests that the person has made a conscious judgment that the other party is beneath them. In the workplace, a 'chefe desprezador' (scornful boss) is someone who ignores employee contributions not because they are angry, but because they believe those contributions are fundamentally worthless. This word is essential for learners who want to describe personality traits with precision, moving beyond simple adjectives like 'mau' (bad) or 'antipático' (unpleasant) into the realm of complex psychological attitudes.
Using desprezador correctly in Portuguese involves mastering its placement and agreement. As an adjective, it typically follows the noun it modifies, which is the standard position for descriptive adjectives in Portuguese. However, for stylistic emphasis in literary contexts, it may occasionally precede the noun, though this is rare in modern speech. You must always ensure the adjective matches the gender and number of the noun. For example, 'homens desprezadores' (scornful men) or 'mulheres desprezadoras' (scornful women).
Noun Phrase Structure
Noun + Desprezador/a/es/as. Example: 'Um tom desprezador'.

O silêncio dele era desprezador, cortando qualquer tentativa de conversa.

Common Verb Pairings
It is often used with 'ser' (to be - permanent trait) or 'mostrar-se' (to show oneself as). Example: 'Ele se mostrou desprezador'.

Suas palavras desprezadoras mágoaram profundamente a família.

Preposition Usage
When describing what someone is scornful of, use the preposition 'de'. Example: 'Desprezador de riquezas'.

Ele é um desprezador de tudo o que é moderno.

Aquelas atitudes desprezadoras não são bem-vindas nesta casa.

O juiz, com um gesto desprezador, encerrou a sessão.

Beyond simple descriptions, desprezador can be used to describe inanimate objects metaphorically. For instance, 'um mar desprezador' (a scornful sea) might imply a sea that is indifferent to the struggles of sailors. In academic writing, you might find it used to describe a school of thought: 'Uma filosofia desprezadora do materialismo'. This versatility allows you to express a range of meanings from personal insults to abstract philosophical stances. Remember that because this word is quite strong, using it in a casual setting might come across as overly dramatic or formal. If you want to say someone is just 'mean' in a common way, 'grosseiro' or 'antipático' might be better, but if they are specifically acting like they are better than everyone else, desprezador is the perfect fit.
In the Portuguese-speaking world, you will encounter desprezador in several specific environments. While it is not a word you might use to order coffee, it is ubiquitous in news commentary, political debates, and high-level literature. In Portugal, the word carries a certain 'velha guarda' (old guard) weight, often used to describe the attitude of the elite toward the working class or vice versa in social critiques. In Brazil, while 'desdenhoso' or 'arrogante' might be more common in the streets of Rio or São Paulo, 'desprezador' is frequently found in the columns of major newspapers like Folha de S.Paulo or O Globo to describe the stance of a politician toward a specific policy or social movement.
Media and Journalism
Journalists use it to characterize a leader's dismissal of public opinion or international treaties.

O governo foi acusado de ter um comportamento desprezador com as minorias.

Classical Literature
Authors like Machado de Assis often used variations of this word to describe the psychological depth of their cynical characters.

O vilão da novela sempre mantém um ar desprezador.

Cinema and Theater
In scripts, this word provides a clear direction for actors on how to portray a character's internal state of superiority.

O diretor pediu uma expressão mais desprezadora na cena final.

Ele é conhecido como um desprezador de regras básicas de etiqueta.

Sua postura desprezadora afastou todos os seus amigos.

You might also hear this word in educational settings, particularly when discussing history. A teacher might describe a colonial power as being 'desprezadora' of the local indigenous culture. This usage highlights the systemic nature of the word—it's not just an individual feeling but can be a collective attitude. In religious contexts, it might be used to describe someone who 'despises' or 'scorns' divine commandments. Understanding where this word lives helps you realize that it is a tool for expressing deep-seated attitudes rather than fleeting moods. It is a word of character assessment. When you hear it, the speaker is making a significant claim about someone's worldview, suggesting that they lack the empathy or humility to value others equally.
The most common mistake English speakers make when using desprezador is confusing it with the adjective desprezível. While both come from the same root, they have opposite directions of meaning. Desprezador describes the person who is *doing* the scorning (the subject), whereas desprezível describes the person or thing that *deserves* to be scorned (the object). If you say 'Ele é desprezível', you are saying he is a despicable person. If you say 'Ele é desprezador', you are saying he is a person who looks down on others. Confusing these two can lead to significant misunderstandings in social situations.
Desprezador vs. Desprezível
Desprezador = Scornful (The Actor). Desprezível = Despicable (The Target).

Erro: Ele é muito desprezível com os pobres. (Correct: desprezador)

Gender Agreement Errors
Forgetting to change the ending to '-ora' for feminine nouns. 'Ela é desprezador' is incorrect.

Correto: A rainha era uma mulher desprezadora.

Preposition Pitfalls
Using 'com' instead of 'de' when it functions as a noun phrase. 'Desprezador com algo' is okay, but 'Desprezador de algo' is more standard.

Ele é um desprezador de talentos alheios.

Não confunda um olhar desprezador com um olhar cansado.

A atitude desprezadora dele é apenas uma máscara para a insegurança.

Another mistake is overusing the word in informal contexts. Calling a friend 'desprezador' because they didn't like your new shoes is too intense; 'chato' or 'exigente' would be more appropriate. 'Desprezador' implies a moral or social judgment. Furthermore, ensure you don't confuse it with 'despreocupado' (unconcerned/carefree). While both start with 'despre-', they have nothing in common. A 'despreocupado' person is relaxed, while a 'desprezador' person is actively dismissing the value of something. Lastly, be careful with pluralization. In Portuguese, adjectives ending in '-or' add '-es' for the plural masculine: 'desprezadores'. For the feminine, 'desprezadora' becomes 'desprezadoras'. Getting these small grammatical details right will make your Portuguese sound much more natural and sophisticated.
While desprezador is a precise term, Portuguese offers several alternatives depending on the level of formality and the specific nuance you want to convey. Understanding these differences is key to reaching a B2 or C1 level of fluency.
Desdenhoso
This is the most common synonym. It means 'disdainful'. It is slightly softer than 'desprezador' and more common in everyday speech.

Ele deu um sorriso desdenhoso ao ouvir a proposta.

Arrogante
While a 'desprezador' specifically looks down on something, an 'arrogante' person simply has an inflated sense of self-importance. They often go together, but they are not identical.

O comportamento arrogante do palestrante irritou a plateia.

Altivo
This is a more positive or neutral term. It means 'haughty' or 'lofty'. It can sometimes imply a dignified pride rather than just mean-spirited contempt.

Ela caminhava com um porte altivo e elegante.

Seu tom soberbo não deixava dúvidas sobre sua opinião.

Ele é um detrator feroz de qualquer mudança.

Não seja insolente com seus superiores.

In more literary or archaic Portuguese, you might find 'escarnecedor' (mocker/scoffer). This is someone who doesn't just feel contempt but actively mocks or makes fun of something. In modern slang, especially in Brazil, you might hear 'metido' (stuck-up) or 'esnobe' (snob). While 'esnobe' is a direct cognate of 'snob', 'desprezador' remains the more formal and psychologically heavy choice. If you are writing an essay or a formal letter, 'desprezador' or 'desdenhoso' are your best bets. If you are talking to friends about someone who thinks they are too good for the group, 'metido' or 'marrento' (the latter specifically in Brazil) would be more natural. Choosing the right synonym shows you understand not just the word, but the social hierarchy and emotional temperature of the Portuguese language.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /dɨʃ.pɾɛ.zɐˈðoɾ/
US /des.pɾe.zaˈdoɾ/
The stress is on the last syllable: 'dor'.
Common Errors
  • Pronouncing the 's' like a 'z' i
Sign up free to read full explanation

Examples by Level

1

O menino é desprezador.

The boy is scornful.

Subject + Verb 'ser' + Adjective.

2

Ela não é desprezadora.

She is not scornful.

Negative sentence with 'não'.

3

O gato é desprezador.

The cat is scornful.

Using adjectives for animals.

4

Você é desprezador?

Are you scornful?

Simple question structure.

5

Eles são desprezadores.

They are scornful.

Plural masculine form.

6

As meninas são desprezadoras.

The girls are scornful.

Plural feminine form.

7

Um homem desprezador.

A scornful man.

Noun phrase with indefinite article.

8

Não seja desprezador.

Don't be scornful.

Imperative mood (negative).

1

Ele tem um olhar desprezador.

He has a scornful look.

Adjective modifying the noun 'olhar'.

2

Ela é uma pessoa desprezadora.

She is a scornful person.

Feminine agreement.

3

O professor não é desprezador.

The teacher is not scornful.

Describing professional character.

4

Por que você está tão desprezador hoje?

Why are you so scornful today?

Using 'estar' for a temporary state.

5

O crítico foi muito desprezador com o filme.

The critic was very scornful of the movie.

Preposition 'com' used for the object of scorn.

6

Seu tom desprezador me deixou triste.

Your scornful tone made me sad.

Possessive adjective + noun + adjective.

7

Ninguém gosta de um líder desprezador.

Nobody likes a scornful leader.

Adjective in a complex sentence.

8

Ela deu uma resposta desprezadora.

She gave a scornful answer.

Feminine noun and adjective agreement.

1

O desprezador de talentos nunca terá sucesso.

The scorner of talents will never have success.

Used as a noun with the preposition 'de'.

2

Ele se mostrou desprezador diante da proposta.

He showed himself to be scornful in the face of the proposal.

Reflexive verb 'mostrar-se'.

3

Sua atitude desprezadora causou muitos problemas.

His scornful attitude caused many problems.

Abstract noun 'atitude' modified by the adjective.

4

Apesar de rico, ele não era desprezador dos pobres.

Despite being rich, he was not scornful of the poor.

Conjunction 'apesar de' + adjective.

5

Ela fala de um modo desprezador sobre a moda.

She speaks in a scornful way about fashion.

Adverbial phrase 'de um modo'.

6

O público foi desprezador com a nova peça.

The audience was scornful of the new play.

Collective noun 'público' with singular verb and adjective.

7

Não entendo esse seu lado desprezador.

I don't understand this scornful side of yours.

Demonstrative 'esse' + possessive 'seu'.

8

Ele é um eterno desprezador da autoridade.

He is an eternal scorner of authority.

Adjective 'eterno' modifying the noun 'desprezador'.

1

O seu silêncio era mais desprezador do que qualquer palavra.

His silence was more scornful than any word.

Comparative degree of superiority.

2

A elite era frequentemente desprezadora das tradições rurais.

The elite was frequently scornful of rural traditions.

Adverb 'frequentemente' modifying the adjective.

3

O artigo tinha um viés claramente desprezador.

The article had a clearly scornful bias.

Noun 'viés' (bias) modified by adjective.

4

Ela reagiu com um riso desprezador às acusações.

She reacted with a scornful laugh to the accusations.

Noun 'riso' modified by adjective.

5

O autor adota uma postura desprezadora em relação ao passado.

The author adopts a scornful stance regarding the past.

Idiomatic expression 'em relação a'.

6

Ele é um conhecido desprezador de convenções sociais.

He is a known scorner of social conventions.

Participle 'conhecido' used as an adjective.

7

A natureza pode ser desprezadora das ambições humanas.

Nature can be scornful of human ambitions.

Modal verb 'pode' + 'ser'.

8

Seu comportamento desprezador foi o motivo da demissão.

His scornful behavior was the reason for the dismissal.

Compound sentence with 'foi o motivo'.

1

A narrativa é pontuada por um narrador onisciente e desprezador.

The narrative is punctuated by an omniscient and scornful narrator.

Literary analysis terminology.

2

Havia algo de intrinsecamente desprezador na sua forma de caminhar.

There was something intrinsically scornful in his way of walking.

Adverb 'intrinsecamente' and 'algo de'.

3

O desprezador, em sua torre de marfim, ignora a realidade das ruas.

The scorner, in his ivory tower, ignores the reality of the streets.

Metaphorical usage and noun function.

4

Sua crítica, embora técnica, soou desnecessariamente desprezadora.

His criticism, although technical, sounded unnecessarily scornful.

Concessive clause with 'embora'.

5

A história o julgará como um líder desprezador dos direitos humanos.

History will judge him as a leader scornful of human rights.

Future tense 'julgará'.

6

O olhar desprezador da aristocracia decadente foi capturado na pintura.

The scornful look of the decaying aristocracy was captured in the painting.

Genitive construction 'da aristocracia'.

7

Ele manteve uma distância desprezadora durante todo o evento.

He maintained a scornful distance throughout the event.

Prepositional phrase 'durante todo o'.

8

A filosofia de Nietzsche é por vezes interpretada como desprezadora da fraqueza.

Nietzsche's philosophy is sometimes interpreted as scornful of weakness.

Passive voice 'é interpretada'.

1

O cariz desprezador daquela missiva obliterou qualquer hipótese de conciliação.

The scornful nature of that letter obliterated any chance of reconciliation.

High-level vocabulary like 'cariz', 'missiva', 'obliterou'.

2

Ela personificava a figura do intelectual desprezador das massas.

She personified the figure of the intellectual who scorns the masses.

Verb 'personificar' and social critique.

3

A sua retórica, eivada de um tom desprezador, alienou os aliados mais próximos.

His rhetoric, riddled with a scornful tone, alienated his closest allies.

Participle 'eivada' (riddled/tainted).

4

O tempo, esse implacável desprezador de vaidades, tudo consome.

Time, that relentless scorner of vanities, consumes everything.

Apposition and philosophical tone.

5

A arquitetura brutalista é vista por alguns como desprezadora da escala humana.

Brutalist architecture is seen by some as scornful of the human scale.

Specialized context (architecture).

6

Um silêncio gélido e desprezador instalou-se no conclave.

An icy and scornful silence settled in the conclave.

Adjectives 'gélido' and 'desprezador' modifying 'silêncio'.

7

Ele discorreu sobre o tema com uma sobranceria desprezadora.

He spoke on the subject with a scornful loftiness.

Noun 'sobranceria' (haughtiness).

8

A obra é um libelo contra o espírito desprezador da modernidade.

The work is a libel against the scornful spirit of modernity.

Noun 'libelo' (manifesto/indictment).

Common Collocations

olhar desprezador
tom desprezador
atitude desprezadora
sorriso desprezador
comportamento desprezador
silêncio desprezador
gesto desprezador
comentário desprezador
espírito desprezador
ar desprezador

Common Phrases

ser desprezador de

— To be someone who scorns a specific thing.

Ele é desprezador de regras.

com um ar desprezador

— With a scornful air or appearance.

Ela entrou na sala com um ar desprezador.

mostrar-se desprezador

— To act in a scornful way in a specific moment.

Ele mostrou-se desprezador durante a reunião.

nada mais desprezador que

— Nothing is more scornful than...

Nada mais desprezador que o seu silêncio.

um jeito desprezador

— A scornful way of being.

Aquele seu jeito desprezador me irrita.

olhar de forma desprezadora

— To look at someone in a scornful way.

Não olhe para mim de forma desprezadora.

tratar como desprezador

— To treat someone as if they are scornful.

Ele foi tratado como um desprezador.

atitude puramente desprezadora

— A purely scornful attitude.

Foi uma atitude puramente desprezadora.

soar desprezador

— To sound scornful.

Suas palavras podem soar desprezadoras.

tornar-se desprezador

— To become scornful over time.

Com o tempo, ele tornou-se desprezador.

Idioms & Expressions

"olhar de cima para baixo"

— To look at someone from top to bottom, implying they are inferior.

Ela o olhou de cima para baixo com um ar desprezador.

informal
"torcer o nariz"

— To turn up one's nose at something; to show disdain.

Ele torceu o nariz para a comida, bem desprezador.

informal
"fazer pouco de"

— To make little of someone; to belittle.

Ele vive fazendo pouco dos outros, é um desprezador nato.

neutral
"dar de ombros"

— To shrug, showing indifference or contempt.

Ele apenas deu de ombros, com aquele jeito desprezador.

neutral
"não dar confiança"

— To ignore someone because you think they aren't worth it.

Ele é desprezador e não dá confiança para ninguém.

informal
"tratar com a ponta do pé"

— To treat someone very badly, with total contempt.

O patrão tratava os funcionários com a ponta do pé, era um desprezador.

informal
"achar-se a última bolacha do pacote"

— To think one is the 'last cookie in the pack' (the best/most important).

Ele se acha a última bolacha do pacote e é desprezador com todos.

slang
"bater no peito"

— To act with excessive pride (often leading to a scornful attitude).

Ele bate no peito e age de forma desprezadora.

informal
"olhar com desdém"

— To look with disdain.

Sempre olha com desdém para o nosso trabalho.

formal
"virar as costas"

— To turn one's back on someone, showing contempt.

O desprezador virou as costas sem dizer uma palavra.

neutral
Sign up free to see all examples

Related Content

Was this helpful?

Comments (0)

Login to Comment
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!