spiteful

adjective

ˈspīt-fəl How to pronounce spiteful (audio)
Definition of spitefulnext
as in malicious
having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it the gossip would utter the most vicious things with a spiteful smile

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 spiteful But again and again throughout Thursday’s hearing, the fraying of bonds between Kennedy and his former party was on full display as spiteful comments were passed back and forth. — Ali Swenson, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026 Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Phil, a spiteful rancher who torments his brother's (Jesse Plemons) new wife (Kirsten Dunst) and her sensitive teenage son, Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee), against the backdrop of 1920s Montana. — Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Apr. 2026 That the spiteful man sees only as far as the spiteful man can, and that can produce a work of art that is successful, but maybe not ultimately great. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026 And Landman totally got the assignment and deftly plays a series of selfish, clueless and/or spiteful clods. — Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 23 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spiteful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiteful
  1. malicious
  2. cruel
  3. vicious
  4. hateful
  5. nasty
Adjective
  • On this occasion, OpenAI appears to have been transparent about its involvement in the incident and is working alongside Hugging Face to respond, but defenders need to prepare for a world where such tools are in the hands of openly malicious actors.
    — Tim Keary, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • Skubal did not say those words about the MRI and the arbitration hearing with any malicious tone.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of malicious
Adjective
  • Gomez has endured a lengthy list of cruel setbacks during his 11-year Liverpool career and faces a wait to learn the extent of his latest injury.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 26 July 2026
  • Obsessed with recovering her fortune, Magdalen’s uses of disguise and performance become manipulative, treacherous, and even cruel.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 July 2026
Definition of cruel
Adjective
  • Harbaugh had tense standoffs with legacy defenders Ed Reed, Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs and, during the 2012 season, held a sitdown with his players to address their vicious and personal attacks on his approach.
    — Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • The film also shows Maddox and her father in a vicious argument inside her car that illustrates the fracturing of their once-close bond.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of vicious
Adjective
  • Look the steady coarsening of American civic and political culture and the ways in which the once-outrageous—the bilious, hateful rhetoric and the creeping authoritarianism—have become almost ordinary.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026
  • Although Fang was charged in a single incident, authorities allege the defendant was responsible for a string of hateful messages found across the Northern California campus.
    — Seamus Bozeman, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of hateful
Adjective
  • In Michigan alone, more than 7,000 have fallen ill with the nasty foodborne disease, which causes severe diarrhea, and comes from exposure to a parasite in contaminated water used to wash or irrigate crops.
    — Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Europe has been consumed by a nasty fire season this year, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).
    — Max Saltman, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
Definition of nasty

Browse Nearby Words

spited
spiteful
spitefully
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Cite this Entry

“Spiteful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiteful. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on spiteful

Nglish: Translation of spiteful for Spanish Speakers

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