dismissive

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A dismissive person or attitude doesn't take others seriously and might even think their feelings or ideas are unimportant.

When someone comes across as dismissive, it usually means they're not really listening to what's being said. They might interrupt, change the subject quickly, or just shrug off other people's thoughts and opinions without explaining why. For example, if you tell a friend about your worries and they just say "oh don't worry" without offering any help or solution, that can feel pretty dismissive. Sometimes, it's not even intentional – someone might be stressed themselves and not know how to respond kindly. But often, being dismissive is more like pushing others away because of their own emotions or biases.

How common is "dismissive"?

Word dismissive is considered rare in modern English.
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.
Definitions

adjective

  • Showing disregard, indicating rejection, serving to dismiss.

contemptuousindifferent

Real examples of "dismissive" in context

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