Contempt: quick facts
Contempt is the emotion of regarding a person or group as inferior or unworthy of respect. It is often described as a blend of anger and disgust and is marked by a distinctive, one-sided facial expression — a unilateral…
Category
Complex & secondary emotions
Valence
Negative
Emotion family / blend
Anger + disgust
Typical triggers
Judging another as inferior or beneath regard
How it's expressed
One-sided lip raise/sneer, dismissive look
Sources: Plutchik's Wheel of Emotions (Robert Plutchik) — overview; American Psychological Association — APA Dictionary: emotion. Educational information only — not medical or psychological advice. See our sources & fact-check policy.