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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spitefulness
Noun
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This is not someone who is going to kill someone out of malice.—
Maureen Maher,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2025 -
Accusations of ego and malice festered behind the scenes.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Though interesting to look at, the Portuguese man-of-war’s venom can be deadly to small fish and painful to humans, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.—
Natalie Demaree,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2025
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The venom also contains hemorrhagic toxins which can cause severe internal bleeding and skeletal muscle damage.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
While highlighting the vicious cycle of ethnic hatred, Gavin strives for impartiality.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Love has triumphed over hatred, light over darkness and truth over falsehood.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr.,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
There’s a great line: Honesty without compassion equals cruelty.—
Jayson Jenks,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2025
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In each of these films, cruelty commingles with tenderness, and hideous acts take place against backdrops of often stunning natural beauty.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Oddity Tech — The beauty and tech retailer popped 16% after increasing its outlook in spite of tariffs.—
Hakyung Kim,
CNBC,
30 Apr. 2025
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Eight percent of those folks report coming into our units from unsheltered homelessness, usually in spite of having full-time employment.—
Anne Field,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Spitefulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spitefulness. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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