look down your nose
Meaning
To act as if you are superior; to show disdain or contempt for someone or something.
Origin
From the physical gesture of tilting your head back and literally looking downward, a posture associated with haughtiness and contempt; recorded in English from at least the 19th century.
Notes
Conveys snobbish superiority and contempt. Often used to criticize someone’s attitude; it can sound harsh if used directly about a person.
Examples
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She tends to look down her nose at people who didn’t go to college.
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Don’t look down your nose at street food—some of the best meals come from small stalls.
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He looked down his nose at my old car, as if it said everything about me.
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If you look down your nose at beginners, they’ll never feel comfortable asking for help.
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They looked down their noses at the neighborhood until they actually spent time there.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually used as “look down your nose at + noun/pronoun” (e.g., at them, at people). Can inflect: “looked down his nose,” “looking down her nose.” Often with “down” but sometimes “down on” appears in related phrases.
Synonyms
- look down on
- disdain
- hold in contempt
- be snobbish
Antonyms
- look up to
- respect
- admire