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spitefulness

spitefulness

1 7.4
A wish to hurt, upset, or annoy other people
  • noun
  • /ˈspaɪtfəl.nəs/
translation icon : rencor
  • She showed a surprising amount of spitefulness when discussing her former colleagues.

This is about the hate and the spitefulness and the limitless evil inside one man.

Examples

  • Not a really terrible marriage—no sign of hatred, spitefulness, or violence.

    Academic text (1997)
  • To hide your cowardice, greed, and spitefulness and shout others down.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • This is about the hate and the spitefulness and the limitless evil inside one man.

    GQ
  • "If you go, I'll kill myself," the old threat, the old lascivious spitefulness.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • They showed a gleam of spitefulness and maliciousness.

    Blog text (28)
  • One disenchanted work player reviled, "I hate the venality and spitefulness of Yankee Swap."

    Academic text (2013)
  • Such was the aftermath of last weekend's Republican State Convention in Missoula, and the ones who will pay the price for this stunning display of spitefulness will be Rick Hill, Denny Rehberg, Steve Daines, and the rest of the statewide Republican ticket.

    Blog text (5)
  • His spitefulness towards his rivals made it difficult for him to form lasting friendships.

  • The spitefulness in his actions revealed a deep-seated resentment that had been building for years.

Synonyms

spite
vsspitefulness
322 4.4

A feeling of wanting to hurt or annoy someone

is a general trait of wanting to hurt, upset, or be malicious
malice
vsspitefulness
54 6.3

A wish to hurt someone or make them suffer

is a general mean quality that also includes petty annoyance
venom
vsspitefulness
22 7.3

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

is a general wish to hurt or annoy, usually less intensely
ill will
vsspitefulness
19 5.3

A strong feeling of dislike or anger toward someone

is the active desire to hurt or annoy, not only hostile feeling
nastiness
vsspitefulness
12 4.8

Mean or cruel behavior meant to hurt someone

is the general mean intent behind such unpleasant acts
meanness
vsspitefulness
9 5.4

Being unkind on purpose to other people

is about wanting to hurt or annoy others as a general trait
malevolence
vsspitefulness
8 8.8

A feeling of wanting to harm other people

is the everyday quality of wanting to hurt, annoy, or be unkind
mean streak
vsspitefulness
  • Informal
7 6.5

A habit of being unkind or cruel to other people

is a general quality of wanting to hurt, not just a lasting trait
vindictiveness
vsspitefulness
5 8.3

A strong wish to get revenge for a wrong

is broader, covering general unkind motives not only revenge
bitchiness
vsspitefulness
  • Offensive
3 8.5

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

is the general mean intent beyond mainly critical speech
unkindness
vsspitefulness
3 4.1

Lack of care for other people

is more active, involving a will to hurt or annoy others
maliciousness
vsspitefulness
2 7.5

A wish to hurt or make other people suffer

is broader, covering both hurting and annoying rather than only causing suffering
cattiness
vsspitefulness
1 8.1

Saying small mean things to hurt someone in a quiet way

is the general desire to hurt rather than this social subtlety
cruelness
vsspitefulness
1 4.5

Wanting to hurt or make others suffer

is a broader desire to hurt or annoy, not only cause suffering
vengefulness
vsspitefulness
1 7.9

A strong lasting wish to get revenge on someone who hurt you

is the general wish to hurt others beyond revenge alone
bitchery
vsspitefulness
  • Offensive
1 9.9

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

is the wider desire to harm rather than only petty remarks
meanspiritedness
vsspitefulness
  • Offensive
7.9

Being unkind and cruel to other people on purpose

is the broader quality of wanting to hurt or upset people
revengefulness
vsspitefulness
7.5

A feeling of wanting to hurt someone who hurt you

is the wider quality of wanting to harm, not only revenge
catty behavior
vsspitefulness
  • Offensive
7.7

Mean words or actions that secretly hurt people in a social group

is broader, not limited to social, subtle attacks
uncharitableness
vsspitefulness
8.6

A lack of kindness or willingness to help others

is a mean intention to hurt others, not just lacking generosity

Antonyms

297 1.0

Friendly and generous actions that help or comfort other people

16 6.1

Kind feelings and actions that help other people

How Spiteful

malice
54 6.3
spitefulness
1 7.4
meanness
9 5.4
unkindness
3 4.1

Surface Forms

spitefulness singular

Morphology

spitefulness = spiteful (transparent) = spite + ful + ness

Clear derivation from 'spite' -> 'spiteful' -> 'spitefulness'; meanings of the components combine predictably.

Etymology

Spitefulness comes from the old word spite, which once meant 'ill will' or 'strong dislike' and is the same root as the familiar word despite. So Spitefulness is the quality of wanting to hurt, upset, or annoy someone.