condescend
verb
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What is the difference between condescending and patronizing?
Very few words in English have exactly the same meaning; even words which appear to be entirely synonymous often will be found to have small differences in certain contexts. The words condescending and patronizing present a fine example of this. At first glance these words appear to be defined somewhat circularly: condescending often has the word "patronizing" in its definition, and patronize is defined, in part, as “to adopt an air of condescension toward.”
But both of these words have specialized senses that lend a shade of meaning to their synonymous senses. Patronizing can mean "giving support to" or "being a customer of," suggesting that the "condescending" sense implies superiority gained through a donor-dependent relationship.
The verb condescend used to be free of any hint of the offensive superiority it usually suggests today. It could mean literally "to go or come down" or, figuratively, "to willingly lower oneself to another’s level," senses that are still occasionally encountered in writings on the Bible. The idea of self-consciously lowering oneself is implied in the "patronizing" sense of condescending.
Examples of condescend in a Sentence
Clayton Davis, Variety, 27 Oct. 2025
There are also forms of touch that are used to convey dominance or assert power, or to condescend or signal a superior role.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
But Chernus talks at us with the condescending zeal of a true music-lover, and his cheeky tirades about the history of jazz — and why Jarrett’s gift for improvisation is unique even in the context of such a freeform genre — are entertaining and educational in equal measure.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025
If this premiere is any indicator, Keiarna is going to have to sharpen her digs a bit so that Wendy doesn’t get to easily dismiss or minimize what clearly seems to be a passive-aggressive or condescending subtext in their dynamic.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for condescend
Cite this Entry
“Condescend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/condescend. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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condescend
verb
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