as in notwithstanding
without being prevented by
we went to the party despite the bad weather outside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in contempt
open dislike for someone or something considered unworthy of one's concern or respect
pointedly ignored his false friend out of despite
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in malice
the desire to cause pain for the satisfaction of doing harm
sheer despite was the sole reason for her hurtful comments
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in disadvantage
the negative result caused by something that creates difficulty for achieving success
baffled as to why working-class voters would vote in despite of their own economic interests
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of despite
al, 6 May 2020
Los Angeles County beaches will remain closed for the time being, despite other coastal stretches reopening — with limitations — this week in nearby Orange County with the state’s blessing.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2020
Bruce Jenkins, SFChronicle.com, 7 Dec. 2019
In Division II, Turpin somehow was dropped from 4th to 5th despite holding off Anderson 29-28 to remain undefeated.
—Scott Springer, Cincinnati.com, 21 Oct. 2019
See All Example Sentences for despite
Preposition
Through the family’s ups and downs, Copeland was a steadying presence, despite his disability.
—al, 6 May 2020
Los Angeles County beaches will remain closed for the time being, despite other coastal stretches reopening — with limitations — this week in nearby Orange County with the state’s blessing.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2020
Noun
Westbrook recently scored a triple-double despite shooting 7-for-27 from the floor.
—Bruce Jenkins, SFChronicle.com, 7 Dec. 2019
In Division II, Turpin somehow was dropped from 4th to 5th despite holding off Anderson 29-28 to remain undefeated.
—Scott Springer, Cincinnati.com, 21 Oct. 2019
See All Example Sentences for despite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despite
Preposition
-
This part involved adding wiring, a roof, glazing, and everything else required to turn a shell into a resilient home that VeroTouch says will still be standing in 100 years, notwithstanding possible wildfires.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
29 Aug. 2025
-
That means sideloading should become much less risky, a far cry from the current free-for-all, notwithstanding that Play Protect has already been expanded to cover apps from any source.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
But the friendship fell apart earlier this year when Farage refused to echo Musk’s support for Robinson, the founder of the now-defunct anti-immigration English Defence League (EDL), who was previously jailed for being in contempt of court by repeating false accusations about a Syrian refugee.—
Catherine Nicholls,
CNN Money,
14 Sep. 2025
-
My dream of becoming a woman was exchanged for a different fantasy, a kind of eternal world of teen-agers, who had nothing but contempt for adults.—
Rachel Kushner,
New Yorker,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
More than avoiding malice, we are called to take responsibility for the impact of our words.—
Andrew Weinstein,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Understand that controlling behaviors may stem from fear and insecurity rather than malice.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
But Target is at a disadvantage trying to compete in shipping online orders with Amazon – the behemoth of the trade – and Walmart, which jumped out to a big lead over Target as Amazon’s biggest shipping competitor.—
Dan Gingiss,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
But families who cannot afford to hire an attorney could find themselves at a disadvantage when disagreements arise over services that cost districts more money, Russell said.—
Fred Clasen-Kelly,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
His disdain for Christmas is no match for visits from enchanting ghosts, a lively ensemble of characters, and the music of the season.—
Kirby Adams,
Louisville Courier Journal,
15 Sep. 2025
-
In a new documentary, Murray and Tom Hanks reflect on their late friend's disdain for media attention surrounding his body.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Even in spite of the ugly headlines early in the second quarter, many retirement savers didn't give in to panic and hit the brakes.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Housing is one of the reasons anyone in tech will tell you that the industry is thriving in California largely in spite of regulations, not because of them.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Snowflake, one of the most popular cloud data warehouse platforms, often ranks as a company’s second-largest IT expense after its primary cloud provider.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
-
He is sponsored by spirits and supplement companies who help pay his travel expenses, but still works in construction during the off-season.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
Mercury News,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Foreign perpetrators have been linked to previous acts intended to incite hatred.—
Saskya Vandoorne,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The left is always, at all times and places, a violent phenomenon full of hatred.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Despite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despite. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share