condescend

[kon-duh-send]

verb (used without object)

1. to behave as if one is conscious of descending from a superior position, rank, or dignity.

2. to stoop or deign to do something.

   He would not condescend to misrepresent the facts.

3. to put aside one's dignity or superiority voluntarily and assume equality with one regarded as inferior.

   He condescended to their intellectual level in order to be understood.

4. Obsolete.

   1. to yield.

   2. to assent.

condescend

/ ˌkɒndɪˈsɛnd /

verb

1. to act graciously towards another or others regarded as being on a lower level; behave patronizingly

2. to do something that one regards as below one's dignity

Other Word Forms

• condescender noun
• condescendent noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of condescend¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English condescenden, from Late Latin condēscendere ( con-, descend ); replacing Middle English condescendre, from Middle French

Word History and Origins

Origin of condescend¹

C14: from Church Latin condēscendere to stoop, condescend, from Latin dēscendere to _descend

Example Sentences

First and foremost among these is Jack O’Brien’s precise and invigorating direction, which treats the characters as our country cousins, never condescending to them, even at their laughable worst.

From Los Angeles Times

"When I started coaching women for the first time, I did not condescend to them," said Dorrance.

From BBC

Harrison projects a ferocious determination that’s paired with an intense loathing for this condescending, demented misogynist.

From Los Angeles Times

That's especially aggravating in light of the reports that the White House is entertaining condescending policy pitches aimed at "persuading" women to have more children.

From Salon

Though they all slot into known archetypes — the steely yet vulnerable “final girl,” the condescending jock, the sarcastic pal, the kooky yet intuitive bestie — they’re all fully formed characters, sardonic and self-aware.

From Los Angeles Times

When To Use

What does condescend mean?

Condescend commonly means to interact with others in a way that implies that you’re superior to them. It especially refers to when this is done in an arrogant or patronizing way—meaning when you act as if you’re doing someone a favor by supposedly lowering yourself to their level of understanding or intelligence.This sense of the word is often used with the word to and the recipient of such behavior, as in Don’t condescend to me. This sense of condescend is always used negatively and implies that such behavior is insulting to the person or people it’s directed toward. The adjective condescending is used to describe people who act in such a way, or their words or actions, as in condescending tone. Condescending often involves not only what is said but also how it’s said. A condescending tone is often one that sounds like it’s directed at a child.Condescend can also mean to stoop to a lower level or to do something that one considers as below one's dignity. A close synonym of this sense of the word is deign.The act of condescending is called condescension.Example: Why do you feel the need to condescend every time you explain something?