spite

1 of 2

noun

1
: petty ill will or hatred with the disposition to irritate, annoy, or thwart
2
: an instance of spite

spite

2 of 2

verb

spited; spiting

transitive verb

1
a
b
: to fill with spite
2
: to treat maliciously (as by shaming or thwarting)
Phrases
in spite of
: in defiance or contempt of : without being prevented by
succeeded in spite of their opposition
Choose the Right Synonym for spite

malice, malevolence, ill will, spite, malignity, spleen, grudge mean the desire to see another experience pain, injury, or distress.

malice implies a deep-seated often unexplainable desire to see another suffer.

felt no malice toward their former enemies

malevolence suggests a bitter persistent hatred that is likely to be expressed in malicious conduct.

a look of dark malevolence

ill will implies a feeling of antipathy of limited duration.

ill will provoked by a careless remark

spite implies petty feelings of envy and resentment that are often expressed in small harassments.

petty insults inspired by spite

malignity implies deep passion and relentlessness.

a life consumed by motiveless malignity

spleen suggests the wrathful release of latent spite or persistent malice.

venting his spleen against politicians

grudge implies a harbored feeling of resentment or ill will that seeks satisfaction.

never one to harbor a grudge

Examples of spite in a Sentence

Noun He is jealous and full of spite. spread cruel lies out of pure spite Verb He only did it to spite me. sometimes, I swear, she keeps doing that just to spite me
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
And in spite of early mixed reviews, it's become a staple in the rom-com canon, thanks in large part of Roberts and Gere's undeniable onscreen chemistry. Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 23 Mar. 2025 But in spite of the Dorchester’s aforementioned experiment, Ducasse’s dining room typically sticks to the French standard. Hilary Armstrong, Robb Report, 22 Mar. 2025
Verb
In the jaw-dropping final episode, Kimmie − a survivor of human trafficking and abuse − makes a major play by agreeing to marry the head of the household, Horace, who is hospitalized, and makes a quick decision to spite his family. Taylor Ardrey, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2025 In effect, Trump is cutting off America's nose to spite its face, weakening its own economic position while strengthening global competitors. Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 10 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spite

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, short for despite

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of spite was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spite. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

spite

1 of 2 noun
: dislike or hatred for another person with a wish to torment, anger, or defeat

spite

2 of 2 verb
spited; spiting
: annoy, offend
did it to spite me

More from Merriam-Webster on spite

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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