spite
spyt
Spite (noun) means a petty desire to annoy, hurt, or upset someone. Example: “He scratched the car door out of pure spite after the argument.”
noun
1
A petty desire to annoy, hurt, or upset someone.
"He scratched the car door out of pure spite after the argument."
"She only said it out of spite, not because it was true."
"He canceled the trip purely out of spite toward his brother."
verb
1
To deliberately annoy, hurt, or thwart someone.
"She turned the music up loud just to spite her noisy flatmates."
"Don't refuse the offer merely to spite your sister; think about what you want."
"He moved the fence a foot over just to spite his neighbor."
preposition
1
In the phrase "in spite of," meaning despite or notwithstanding.
"In spite of feeling tired, she stayed up to finish the story."
"They had a lovely holiday in spite of the awful weather."
"In spite of the rain, the match went ahead."
How to use spite
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small, mean urge to upset someone, or (as "in spite of") a way of saying "despite."
Common mistake
Don't confuse the noun "spite" (ill will) with the unrelated verb "spit."
Easily confused with
Common pairings
out of spite
in spite of
pure spite
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Word forms
- Plural
- spites
- Third person singular
- spites
- Past tense
- spited
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He scratched the car door out of pure _____ after the argument.
Etymology
A shortened form of Middle English despit, itself from Old French despit and Latin dēspectus, "looking down on" — the same root as "despise" and "despite."
Synonyms
View more →
malice
ill will
vindictiveness
resentment
bitterness
venom
cattiness
maliciousness
spitefulness
bitchiness
nastiness
hurt
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for spite
See all rhymes for spite →Frequently asked questions
What does “spite” mean?
The word “spite” means a petty desire to annoy, hurt, or upset someone. In plain terms, a small, mean urge to upset someone, or (as "in spite of") a way of saying "despite.".
How do you pronounce “spite”?
“Spite” is pronounced spyt (/spaɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “spite” in a sentence?
Here is “spite” used in a sentence: “She only said it out of spite, not because it was true.”
What part of speech is “spite”?
Depending on how it is used, “spite” can be a noun, a verb and a preposition.
Where does the word “spite” come from?
The word “spite” comes from Latin. A shortened form of Middle English despit, itself from Old French despit and Latin dēspectus, "looking down on" — the same root as "despise" and "despite.".
Is “spite” a common word?
“Spite” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “spite” have?
“Spite” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a petty desire to annoy, hurt, or upset someone.
What is the difference between "in spite of" and "despite"?
They mean the same thing — notwithstanding — and are interchangeable: "In spite of the rain" equals "Despite the rain." The main trap is that despite is never followed by "of", and both expressions take a noun, pronoun, or -ing form rather than a full clause.
What is the difference between spite and malice?
Both involve a desire to hurt, but spite is petty and personal — a small-minded urge to annoy or upset someone, often over a grudge. Malice is stronger and broader, meaning a wish to cause real harm, and it also carries legal weight in phrases like "with malice aforethought".
