dismissive

adjective

dis·​mis·​sive dis-ˈmi-siv 

: serving to dismiss or reject someone or something : having or showing a disdainful attitude toward someone or something regarded as unworthy of serious attention

He responded to the question with a dismissive wave.

In the past, Westerberg had been dismissive of Bob's playing, but he says relistening to the early records gave him a new perspective.

—Bob Weir

dismissively adverb

Writer Tom Fontana's violent, realistic drama debuted five years ago and uninitiated viewers still dismissively call it "that prison show on HBO."

—Ian Rothkerch

These are not people who speak dismissively of the brain's capabilities.

—Brad Leithauser

dismissiveness noun

The work of feminist scholars, both individually and collectively, has been greeted in some quarters with impatience, irritation, dismissiveness, even contempt.

—Cullen Murphy

Examples of dismissive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Other Russian newspapers were dismissive of Sunday's meeting in London among Ukraine's European allies to discuss how to support Kyiv. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025

Critics, who were often dismissive of Lowe, Moore, and various other Brat Packers, went crazy for them in this movie. —Katie Rife, EW.com, 2 Mar. 2025

The governor was dismissive of the call for delaying the Gillett vote. —Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2025

Asked about Cuomo’s potential entry into the race, Adams was dismissive on Monday. —Gloria Pazmino, CNN, 25 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1645, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dismissive

• derisive
• emissive
• permissive
• submissive
• transmissive
• missive