The two adjectives condescending and patronizing describe the attitudes of people who think that they are superior to others. These two adjectives are very similar in meaning and can be used interchangeably in most instances.
Patronizing refers to treating someone with apparent kindness which betrays a feeling of superiority.
Condescending refers to displaying a superior attitude.
What Does Condescending Mean?
As mentioned above, condescending refers to the superior attitude of a person. When someone thinks that others are inferior to him or that he is superior to others and treat others according to this attitude, he is being condescending. Talking to a person in a way that shows that you believe you are more intelligent or better than him is an example of condescending attitude.
The students of the new generation seem to think that teachers are condescending and arrogant.
So condescending would be like someone talking to you with their nose in the air? Like when my dad would talk to me about my grades, but he had a posture of arms across the shoulder and head back (seemed like he was "looking down at me").
Or if you're shopping with someone and you get excited about an item, and they look at you like "really? you like that? I wouldn't be caught dead with that."
Giving the impression that they are "better than" or "holier than"? I think I get it.
“Of course, I believe you,” he said in a patronizing voice.
So patronizing is more of an action; the act of being condescending. Right? Patronizing someone in need, for example, would be to pretend to be helpful, but act like you're better than that. Like you'll do it, but you don't want to because you'll get your hands dirty because it's below you.
Right?
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