spite

American  

[spahyt] / spaɪt /

noun

1. a malicious, usually petty, desire to harm, annoy, frustrate, or humiliate another person; bitter ill will; malice.

   Synonyms:

   spleen, venom, rancor, maliciousness, malevolence

2. a particular instance of such an attitude or action; grudge.

3. Obsolete. something that causes vexation; annoyance.

---

verb (used with object)

spited, spiting

1. to treat with spite or malice.

2. to annoy or thwart, out of spite.

3. to fill with spite; vex; offend.

idioms

1. in spite of, in disregard or defiance of; notwithstanding; despite.

   She arrived at school on time in spite of the snowstorm.

2. cut off one's nose to spite one's face. nose.

spite British  

/ spaɪt /

noun

1. maliciousness involving the desire to harm another; venomous ill will

2. an instance of such malice; grudge

3. archaic something that induces vexation

4. (preposition) in defiance of; regardless of; notwithstanding

---

verb

1. to annoy in order to vent spite

2. archaic to offend

spite More Idioms  

1. see in spite of.

---

Related Words

See grudge. See notwithstanding.

Other Word Forms

• spiteless adjective
• unspited adjective

Etymology

Origin of spite

1250–1300; Middle English; aphetic variant of despite

Explanation

When your sister told you that you looked terrible in your new tube top, she may have been saying it out of spite, or in a deliberately mean or offensive way. The noun spite means "a desire to offend." The word spite can also take the form of a verb, when it's used like this: "He only became a vegetarian to spite his cattle rancher father." Either way, spite implies a grudge, a desire to offend or hurt the feelings of someone by actions or words.

Example Sentences

The analyst expects the Franco-Italian eyewear group to show resilience in spite of “a more challenging overall context.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Like any group that’s survived a civil war, those who left Cuba under duress and those who stayed are locked into a vicious cycle of spite that consumes our communities.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

It’s radical to love someone because they’re honest, not in spite of their honesty.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

It’s also in spite of recent estimates that pin the cost of the war, which is supposed to end soon, at “only” about $1 billion to $2 billion a day.

From Slate • Mar. 21, 2026

Surely it all meant that the strange coachman truly was a friend to her and the Incorrigibles, in spite of his gruff manner and puzzling remarks.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood