despite
Americanpreposition
noun
-
contemptuous treatment; insult.
-
malice, hatred, or spite.
verb (used with object)
idioms
preposition
noun
-
archaic contempt; insult
-
rare (preposition) in spite of
verb
Synonym Usage
See notwithstanding.
Etymology
Origin of despite
First recorded in 1250–1300; originally in despite of; Middle English despit, from Old French, from Latin dēspectus “view from a height, scorn,” originally past participle of dēspicere; see despicable ( def. )
Explanation
Despite is used as a preposition when something happens even though it might have been prevented by something else. You might go see a movie despite hearing a negative review of it. Despite is just one letter away from despise, and they actually share a root: the Latin verb despicere, meaning "to look down on scornfully." Despite came to mean "contempt" or "scorn" in English, though that use as a noun has mostly dropped out of use. The phrase "in despite of" gradually got shortened to the preposition despite and lost its scornful quality. If you accomplish something despite the obstacles in your way, there's no need to feel spiteful about it.
Vocabulary lists containing despite
Word Generation Weekly - Series 1
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Novel Study: Lord of the Flies, Chapters 1–4
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But despite that Djokovic battled to victory in one hour and 50 minutes to set up a second-round match against wildcard Bu Yunchaokete of China.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
Foreign oil companies scrambled for a slice of Venezuela's crude at an oil summit in Caracas this week despite years of sanctions, underinvestment and mismanagement that have crippled the once booming industry.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
“Having a job enables confidence to keep spending despite inflation headwinds,” said Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist at Nationwide.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026
Oil prices rebounded as tensions in the Middle East remained high despite a recent pickup in exports that calmed supply fears.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
Still, Jonathan thought, it was weird, and he walked faster despite the heat.
From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
