spitefulness

noun

as in malice
the desire to cause pain for the satisfaction of doing harm cut down their neighbors' tree out of sheer spitefulness

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spitefulness
  1. malice
  2. venom
  3. hatred
  4. cruelty
  5. spite
Noun
  • But that was never the notion or ever had any malice or stuff like that.
    — Terry Terrones, HollywoodReporter, 9 Nov. 2026
  • As a public figure, Piker must show actual malice, meaning Jennings knew his claims were false or recklessly disregarded the truth.
    — Emma Witman, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of malice
Noun
  • Bond said the quarter-sized spider lives in fragmented coastal dunes from the Bay Area to Monterey, and compounds in its venom could have potential as painkillers or in pest control.
    — The Sacramento Bee staff, Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The researchers think this compound, possibly adapted from ant venom, makes the lizards’ blood taste foul.
    — RJ Mackenzie, Popular Science, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of venom
Noun
  • Orlando should be proud of the people who gave those words meaning by refusing to let hatred go unanswered.
    — Linda Chapin, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The exchange is one of many contentious clashes between those who oppose data centers in their communities, which have earned bipartisan hatred, and those advocating for them.
    — Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of hatred
Noun
  • Police have arrested a woman on an animal cruelty charge in connection with a dog that suffered weight loss, dehydration and other issues.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 11 Nov. 2026
  • And when Here There Are Blueberries does shift its lens the testimony of Auschwitz survivor Lili Jacob, also embodied by Cunningham, and an album of photos that depict the cruelty Höcker’s collection elides, the reversal stuns you.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of cruelty
Noun
  • There’s nothing gayer than shading an obviously gorgeous woman’s body just out of spite.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2026
  • In spite—or because—of that emphasis on the purely physical, Capra thrived.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of spite
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.

Browse Nearby Words

spitefully
spitefulness
spites
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Cite this Entry

“Spitefulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spitefulness. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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