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GRE vocabulary

supercilious

adjectiveHigh-frequency wordMore S words

behaving as though superior to others; haughty

Word origin: From Latin supercilium, an eyebrow, hence a raised brow of disdain.

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In a sentence

Supercilious in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing supercilious in a sentence.

The supercilious clerk barely glanced at the customers.

The maitre d' greeted the unfamiliar guests with a supercilious glance that took in their attire and dismissed it.

Synonyms
haughtydisdainfulcondescending
Antonyms
humblemodest
Usage & nuance

Using “supercilious” well

Supercilious means behaving as though superior to others, with a haughty, disdainful air. It conveys contempt expressed through a cool, dismissive manner.

Common questions

Questions about “supercilious

Supercilious (adjective) means behaving as though superior to others; haughty
Here is supercilious used in an example sentence: "The supercilious clerk barely glanced at the customers." Another example: "The maitre d' greeted the unfamiliar guests with a supercilious glance that took in their attire and dismissed it."
Common synonyms for supercilious include haughty, disdainful, condescending.
Antonyms of supercilious include humble, modest.
Clusters with haughty, disdainful, and condescending in Sentence Equivalence. Its antonyms humble and modest mark the opposite, unassuming pole.
Yes. Supercilious is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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