spite

¹spite

noun \ˈspīt\

Definition of SPITE

1

: petty ill will or hatred with the disposition to irritate, annoy, or thwart

2

: an instance of spite

— in spite of

: in defiance or contempt of : without being prevented by <succeeded in spite of their opposition>

Examples of SPITE

1. He is jealous and full of spite.
2. <spread cruel lies out of pure spite>

Origin of SPITE

Middle English, short for despite

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to SPITE

Synonyms

cattiness, despite, hatefulness, malevolence, maliciousness, malignance, malignancy, malignity, meanness, nastiness, malice, spitefulness, spleen, venom, viciousness

Related Words

abusiveness, cruelty; abhorrence, abomination, execration, hate, hatred, loathing; animosity, antagonism, antipathy, bitterness, enmity, grudge, hostility, ill will, jaundice, mean-spiritedness, rancor, resentment; despicableness, invidiousness; vengefulness, vindictiveness; aversion, disgust, distaste, horror, repugnance, repulsion, revulsion; bitchery, bitchiness, contempt, disdain; jealousy, pique, resentment, scorn; bile, rancor, virulence, vitriol

Near Antonyms

devotion, love, passion; amiability, amicability, amity, civility, cordiality, friendliness, hospitality; adoration, ardor, infatuation, veneration, worship; affection, charity, kindliness, kindness; comity, empathy, friendship, goodwill, sympathy, understanding

See Synonym Discussion at malice

Rhymes with SPITE

bight, bite, blight, bright, byte, cite, dight, dite, fight, flight, fright, height, hight, kite, knight, krait, kyte, light, lite, might, mite, night, plight, quite, right, rite, sight, site, sleight, slight, smite, sprite, tight, trite, white, wight, wite, wright, write

²spite

transitive verb

spit·edspit·ing

Definition of SPITE

1

a : annoy, offend

b : to fill with spite

2

: to treat maliciously (as by shaming or thwarting)

Examples of SPITE

1. He only did it to spite me.
2. <sometimes, I swear, she keeps doing that just to spite me>

First Known Use of SPITE

circa 1555

Related to SPITE

Synonyms

aggravate, annoy, bother, bug, burn (up), chafe, eat, exasperate, frost, gall, get, grate, gripe, hack (off), irk, itch, nark [British], nettle, peeve, persecute, pique, put out, rasp, rile, ruffle, irritate, vex

Related Words

hassle, heckle; nag; inflame (also enflame), provoke, rouse; badger, bait, bullyrag (also ballyrag), devil, hagride, harass, harry, pester, plague, tease; anger, antagonize, enrage, incense, infuriate, madden, rankle, roil; agitate, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, exercise, freak (out), fret, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, worry; affront, insult, miff, offend, outrage

Near Antonyms

appease, conciliate, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, propitiate; delight, gladden, gratify, please, satisfy; assure, cheer, comfort, console, content, quiet, reassure, solace, soothe