Contemptible describes something so low, mean, or disgraceful that it deserves scorn and disgust. When someone acts in a contemptible way, they do something that makes others lose respect for them.

Imagine a student who sees a classmate drop their lunch money and, instead of returning it, pockets it and lies about finding it. That's contemptible behavior: sneaky, selfish, and cowardly all at once. Or picture someone who bullies a younger kid, then denies it when confronted. The combination of cruelty and dishonesty makes their actions contemptible.

The word suggests something worse than just bad or wrong. A contemptible act reveals something ugly about a person's character. It might be contemptible to cheat and then blame someone else, to break a promise to someone who trusted you, or to mock someone for trying their best at something difficult.

While people make mistakes and can change, contemptible actions are the kind that make others think: “I can't respect someone who would do that.” When you call something contemptible, you're saying it truly deserves that harsh judgment.