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
Noun
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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
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Networks and stations should know that such venom could now carry sizable public pushback.—
Newsweek Contributors,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
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Despite being the most abundant, their venom is not very potent, the wildlife agency said.—
Kirsten Fiscus,
Nashville Tennessean,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Raised under Augusta’s religious terror and hatred for women, Ed tries to hide his penchant for ladies’ underwear and masturbation to no avail.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
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Not as a land of fear, not as a divisiveness, not of government censorship, not of hatred.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Brooks explained the white and brown pup was rescued from a cruelty case in South Carolina.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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The cruelty, after all, is the point.—
Liam Quinn,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Yes, although your character in that film, Lisa, is very put-together in spite of what’s going on in her life.—
Matthew Jacobs,
Vulture,
30 Sep. 2025
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For all his individual stubbornness and spite, Milošević could not match the resilience and determination of Serbia’s citizens.—
Hanna Begić,
The Conversation,
29 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Spitefulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spitefulness. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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