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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Jurors found that Grossman and Erickson both acted with conscious disregard for the boys' safety and malice, thereby awarding punitive damages in the wrongful death lawsuit.—
Julie Sharp,
CBS News,
10 June 2026 -
Jurors decided that Grossman acted with malice and oppression and Erickson acted with malice, oppression, or fraud, kicking off the punitive phase of the trial.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Noun
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Mark the edge of the swelling on the bite and make note of the time — the spread from the original mark can indicate how fast the venom is spreading.—
Sophie Lindberg,
Kansas City Star,
10 June 2026
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The captain backed off, but Curry never forgot the look in his eyes, or the venom in his voice.—
Clint Smith,
The Atlantic,
9 June 2026
Noun
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These reports have significantly contributed to increasing hatred towards Islam.—
Beth Bailey,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
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Was there a true hatred or deep respect?—
Keith Murphy,
VIBE.com,
7 June 2026
Noun
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Nothing that reflects the sheer abjection of the murderous dog pounds of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries or the many individual cruelties visited upon dogs.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
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There are allegories that can be read about fear of the unknown breeding cruelty and exploitation, but Disclosure Day is first and foremost a propulsive yarn with thematic roots in hope, truth, empathy and perhaps even spirituality.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
9 June 2026
Noun
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While first ladies and presidents have previously shared private moments with their successors and predecessors in spite of political animosity, Jill wrote in the second-to-last chapter of A View from the East Wing that Melania and her had spent very little time together over the years.—
Joseph Konig,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
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Frampton chronicles his 1970s rise to fame, his career setbacks, and his determination to perform in spite of his IBM battle.—
Leigh Blickley,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Spitefulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spitefulness. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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