spite

Examples

• All

• She refused to help him out of spite for the way he treated her in the past.

• You and I both know he would do anything for power or for spite or for applause.

• Perhaps this was my signal to leave Virginia, in spite of what Julian might say.

  Fiction book (1990)

• And her husband seems a sensible man, in spite of all the things one hears about him.

  Fiction book (1990)

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

  The Maltese Falcon (1941)

• Adolescents can think and will think in spite of their educational experiences.

  Academic text (1990)

• In spite of your selfish ways, there's a beautiful soul in there somewhere.

  The Book of Clarence (2024)

• So, somehow, in spite of your incompetence, we solved this one.

  Despicable Me 2 (2013)

• In spite of sickness and death, we will profit 11,000 sesterces.

  Spartacus (1960)

• "You're safe now, we're home free," Gabe told Jazz, who was shivering in spite of her heavy sweater.

  Fiction book (1990)

Synonyms

R

resentment

vsspite

172 4.2

A long, strong feeling of anger toward someone who treated you unfairly

is a desire to harm or annoy rather than a hurt feeling or anger

H

hostility

vsspite

147 4.7

Unfriendly or angry actions and feelings toward someone

is a more specific wish to harm or annoy than broad antagonism

B

bitterness

vsspite

75 3.4

A strong feeling of anger and hurt toward someone

is a wish to harm or annoy rather than just feeling angry

A

animosity

vsspite

57 6.1

Strong angry feeling toward a person or group

is often a petty desire to annoy, not always full hatred or action

M

malice

vsspite

54 6.3

A wish to hurt someone or make them suffer

is often a smaller, petty wish to annoy rather than cause serious suffering

V

venom

vsspite

22 7.3

A strong feeling of anger that makes you want to hurt others

is often a meaner, petty wish to hurt or annoy people

I

ill will

vsspite

19 5.3

A strong feeling of dislike or anger toward someone

is a personal desire to harm or annoy rather than general dislike

A

animus

vsspite

19 9.0

A strong feeling of hate toward someone or something

is a more personal desire to harm or annoy rather than general hostility

E

enmity

vsspite

16 8.0

A strong feeling of hatred toward people or groups

is usually a smaller personal wish to harm or annoy, not deep hatred

N

nastiness

vsspite

12 4.8

Mean or cruel behavior meant to hurt someone

is the inner wish to harm or annoy rather than outward behavior

M

meanness

vsspite

9 5.4

Being unkind on purpose to other people

is the feeling to harm or annoy, not the outward unkind action

M

malevolence

vsspite

8 8.8

A feeling of wanting to harm other people

is more often a petty or minor wish to upset rather than wish evil

V

vindictiveness

vsspite

5 8.3

A strong wish to get revenge for a wrong

is a more general desire to harm or annoy, not only revenge driven

B

bitchiness

vsspite

• Offensive

3 8.5

A way of behaving that is mean and hurtful to other people

is a general desire to harm or annoy, not only critical talk

M

maliciousness

vsspite

2 7.5

A wish to hurt or make other people suffer

is often a petty desire to annoy rather than to cause serious harm

C

cattiness

vsspite

1 8.1

Saying small mean things to hurt someone in a quiet way

is a broader desire to harm or annoy, not only subtle attacks

S

spitefulness

vsspite

1 7.4

A wish to hurt, upset, or annoy other people

is the internal feeling or desire to harm or annoy someone

B

bitchery

vsspite

• Offensive

1 9.9

A way of talking and acting that is mean and hurts people

is the inner wish to harm or annoy rather than the actual remarks

Antonyms

K

kindness

297 1.0

Friendly and generous actions that help or comfort other people

B

benevolence

16 6.1

Kind feelings and actions that help other people

Idioms

I

in spite of

211 1.8

Despite a problem or difficulty, something happens anyway

C

to cut off your nose to spite your face

• Informal

1 9.8

Deliberately do something that hurts you more than the person you want to punish

I

in spite of appearance

6.3

Even though something looks like that, the real situation is different

How Spiteful

vindictiveness

5 8.3

malice

54 6.3

spite

322 4.4

resentment

172 4.2

annoyance

26 2.8

Surface Forms

Etymology