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
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2024
In oh, Honey — cleverly named for the exclamation of condescending condolence that the mothers constantly deploy with each other — Sarah originally assembled the lunch bunch by reaching out to fellow moms in her online FACE group.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2024
All the while, the Jensens (young Julia included) treat her with a shifting mix of condescending paternalism and low-grade hostility.
—Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 18 Oct. 2024
The remarks prompted backlash from Black community leaders and some pundits who viewed the comments as condescending.
—Sara Dorn, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for condescend 
Dictionary Entries Near condescend
Cite this Entry
“Condescend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/condescend. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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condescend
verb
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