deign
verb
\ ˈdān
\
\
deigned;
deigning;
deigns
Definition of deign
: to condescend reluctantly and with a strong sense of the affront to one's superiority that is involved : stoop
would not even deign to talk to him One iconoclastic architect, for example, doesn't deign to speak of bathrooms.— Carol Vogel
: to condescend to give or offer
never so much as deigning a glance— George Meredith
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Examples of deign in a Sentence
I wouldn't deign to answer that absurd accusation.
Recent Examples on the Web
And what about produce that’s so eccentric that even a farmer won’t deign to consume it? — Henry Alford, The New Yorker, "For “Ugly” Produce, Beauty Is Rind Deep," 29 July 2019 As neither house deigned to comment publicly on the rumors, the mill then slowed down again until, in June, both couples arrived at Buckingham Palace. — Simon Usborne, Town & Country, "How Rumors of a Feud Between Kate Middleton and Rose Cholmondeley Captivated a Posh Corner of Britain," 5 Aug. 2019 Whitney Port, calm and chic, rolls her round eyes at such drama, but neither Lauren Conrad nor Kristin Cavallari has deigned to grace this revival. — Troy Patterson, The New Yorker, "“The Hills: New Beginnings” and Our Warped American Reality," 17 July 2019 MBrown suffers us fools who deign to ask him questions about his business. — Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, "Doc's Morning Line: Today, Mike Brown and Cincinnati Bengals coaches suffer us media fools," 28 May 2019 In a real loss for art and culture, Rihanna did not deign to grace us with her presence at the 2019 Met Gala. — Julie Kosin, Harper's BAZAAR, "Rihanna Doesn't Attend 2019 Met Gala, the World Weeps," 7 May 2019 Beyoncé’s repertoire is often called upon by newlyweds looking for a first dance song, but rarely does the superstar herself deign to take on the role of wedding singer. — Janelle Okwodu, Vogue, "Beyoncé’s Performance Style at Isha Ambani’s Wedding Was a Celebration of Indian Couture," 10 Dec. 2018 Most professional chefs, in fact, won’t deign to use them, claiming they’re wasteful, single-purpose tools that provide a service better achieved with a standard kitchen knife. — Jacqueline Detwiler, Popular Mechanics, "Why the Eva Solo Is the Only Garlic Press You'll Ever Need," 7 Nov. 2018 The man behind the counter may or may not deign to greet you. — Anne Kadet, WSJ, "The Cobbler Business Has a Lot of Heart, but Fewer Souls These Days," 21 Aug. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'deign.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for deign
deign
verb
English Language Learners Definition of deign
formal + disapproving
: to do something that you think you should not have to do because you are too important
See the full definition for deign in the English Language Learners Dictionary
deign
verb
\ ˈdān
\
\
deigned;
deigning
Kids Definition of deign
: to do something a person considers below his or her dignity
The teenager deigned to play with his little cousin.
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