spiteful
Americanadjective
adjective
Synonym Usage
Spiteful, revengeful, vindictive refer to a desire to inflict a wrong or injury on someone, usually in return for one received. Spiteful implies a mean or malicious desire for (often petty) revenge: a spiteful attitude toward a former friend. Revengeful implies a deep, powerful, and continued intent to repay a wrong: a fierce and revengeful spirit. Vindictive does not imply action necessarily, but stresses the unforgiving nature of the avenger: a vindictive look.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of spiteful
A late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at spite, -ful
Explanation
When you're spiteful, you act in a mean way, with a desire to hurt someone. If your little brother was driving you crazy, you could calmly ignore him — or you could give him a spiteful pinch. If you act or speak with the desire to hurt, bother, or infuriate someone, you are being spiteful. You could deliberately hurt someone's feelings or embarrass them with your spiteful words, or you could watch a jealous child give her friend a spiteful shove. The Latin word despectus, or "scorn or contempt," became the English despite, later shortened to spite, or "a desire to hurt someone."
Vocabulary lists containing spiteful
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
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Fever 1793
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The Jungle Book
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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.
One event may not seem related to another unless you know the two hip-hop stars represent opposing sides in a spiteful cold war that’s dragged on since 2017.
From Salon ● Oct. 27, 2026
Ms. Futterer was touching as Mary Johnson, who tries to protect both men; other members of the strong cast included high soprano Kaileigh Riess as a spiteful office worker and Luke Harnish as Joseph McCarthy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
And you thought spiteful stepmothers wreaked havoc only in fairy tales.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026
"He is a very bad person, very spiteful," Jorge said of Cabello.
From BBC ● Jan. 3, 2026
She is being spiteful, Eleanor thought remotely; from a great distance, it seemed, she could watch these people and listen to them.
From "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
