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.
However, with this year the sixth edition, The Hundred is no longer the shiny new toy, even despite the new names, new kits and new owners.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
September was rocky in 2021 and 2022, but during the past few years, the index has managed to finish the month higher, despite some hiccups here and there.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
The U.A.E., a major oil exporter, has pushed to get shipments quietly through Hormuz despite Iran’s chokehold.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
The Brewers are the small-market overachievers, who somehow have retained their little-engine-that-could persona despite owning the best regular-season record in baseball last year.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
And he was not smiling now either, despite all the applause.
From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo
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.
