SPITEFUL Synonyms: 88 Similar and Opposite Words

spiteful

adjective

ˈspīt-fəl

Definition of spiteful

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

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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 Trump won his spiteful cases against asylum seekers and Haitian and Syrian immigrants. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2026 Everyone has an acid tongue and brims with spiteful resentment. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 27 May 2026 This is an essential part of our checks and balances system to prevent a corrupt president from dragging our nation into costly, dangerous, or spiteful wars. — Jeff Horseman, Oc Register, 5 May 2026 However nasty and spiteful things get between the Butleys and the del Valles, there’s always the sense that a détente may still be possible. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spiteful

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiteful

Adjective

Can someone manipulate them through prompt injection or malicious data into crossing those boundaries?

— Alex Spokoiny, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Name the pattern Most bloviators aren't malicious, in my experience; it's just become their style.

— Dorie Clark, Contributor, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of malicious

Adjective

People talking to an AI in an abusive and cruel way are more likely to be associated with trying to get the AI model to engage in dangerous requests, like trying to get around an AI’s safety guardrails, Campbell added.

— Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 1 Nov. 2026
From the very start, the students assigned as guards went on cruel power trips and repeatedly humiliated — if not psychologically tortured — the inmates, to the point that some of the prisoners suffered nervous breakdowns.

— Frank Landymore, Futurism, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of cruel

Adjective

The vicious cycle of the current model, of course, is that to become marketable a team needs to get and retain good players, and to do that a school has to spend money, which cycles the whole thing back to the start.

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
Governments were expected to rescue struggling banks, which held large amounts of sovereign debt, creating a vicious cycle.

— Jenni Reid,Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of vicious

Adjective

Violent mobs carrying Palestinian flags clashed with police, looted hundreds of stores, and flooded social media with over 1,300 hateful anti-Semitic posts.

— Staff, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
The Illinois High School Association is responding as an investigation continues into hateful comments against Evanston Township High School students who were part of marching band during a football game at the new Ryan Field last week.

— Adam Harrington, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of hateful

Adjective

With American Family Field rocking, Ashby reared back and threw a nasty curve that Díaz tried to hold up on.

— Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
Of course, there has been some criticism of this plan, as France is experiencing some pretty nasty civil unrest at the moment, but the game will go ahead, with the Saints having been in the country for a few days already.

— Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of nasty

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spited

spiteful

spitefully

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“Spiteful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiteful. Accessed 3 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of spiteful

adjective

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