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Glite Dictionary
in spite of

in spite of

211 1.8
Despite a problem or difficulty, something happens anyway
  • idiom
translation icon : a pesar de
  • In spite of his fear of heights, he climbed to the top of the mountain.
  • in spite of the fact
  • continue in spite of
  • in spite of the effort

So it's like, let's let's embrace this in spite of those fucking assholes.

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Examples

  • More injured people come, but in spite of their condition, they are told that they have to wait.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • You turned out so great in spite of everything.

    About Cherry (2012)

  • And this was my way to choose, in spite of everything, life.

  • How am I doing it in spite of myself?

  • There was a fine sweat on his face now, in spite of the cold.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • How were you brave enough to go on in spite of those threats?

    Megyn Kelly

  • And in spite of everything... you're going to make her happy.

    A Guy Thing (2003)

  • You know in your heart that in spite of anything I've done, I love you.

    The Maltese Falcon (1941)

  • However, the present attempt is made possible, in spite of the circumstances, by Goldfarb's text.

    Academic text (1990)

  • So I see a very bright future in spite of these choppy current troubles.

Synonyms

regardless
vsin spite of
660 3.1

Despite something that might stop you

focuses on something happening even when a thing is present or causes effects
notwithstanding
vsin spite of
  • Formal
6 5.5

Despite a fact or situation already mentioned

focuses on something happening even when that thing exists or affects outcome
irrespective
vsin spite of
1 5.3

Without considering things like age or nationality

points to events occurring even when the thing exists or has effects
irregardlessly of
vsin spite of
  • Informal
9.9

Without caring about something when you decide or act

is the standard neutral expression used in ordinary and formal contexts

Antonyms

because of
∞ 1.0

For a reason that explains why something happened

due to
∞ 1.0

Because of something

Surface Forms

in spite of main

Morphology

in + spite + of

The meaning 'despite' is not a straightforward composition of 'in' + 'spite' + 'of' for a B1 learner because 'spite' primarily denotes malice, and the phrase's sense of 'in defiance of / notwithstanding' is a conventionalized, somewhat metaphorical extension. There is a partial logical link (defiance/contrariness) that might be inferable, but the lexicalized prepositional pattern is not fully predictable without prior exposure.

Etymology

In spite of comes from an old use of spite meaning 'hurt' or 'anger'. Imagine someone tries to stop or upset you, but you do something anyway. That's why in spite of means 'despite' or 'regardless of'.