menosprezar

Senses

1. 1.

   to despise, to scorn

   to regard someone or something with contempt or disdain

2. 2.

   to underestimate, to undervalue

   to fail to recognize the full worth or importance of something

3. 3.

   to disregard, to dismiss

   to treat as unworthy of consideration or attention

Examples

• "Ele sempre menospreza as ideias dos colegas nas reuniões."

  He always dismisses his colleagues' ideas in meetings.

• "Não devemos menosprezar o poder da natureza."

  We shouldn't underestimate the power of nature.

• "Ela se sentiu menosprezada pelo chefe quando ele ignorou sua proposta."

  She felt scorned by her boss when he ignored her proposal.

Usage

This verb is somewhat formal/literary and often carries a negative moral judgment. Common collocations include "menosprezar alguém" (to despise someone) and "menosprezar o perigo/risco" (to underestimate danger/risk). The related noun is "menosprezo" (contempt, scorn).