despiteful

/dis'paitful/

Thân thiện

A spiteful child draws a despiteful picture of their sibling.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Characterized by or showing malice, ill will, and a desire to hurt others; motivated by spite. It describes a person, action, or attitude that is deliberately harmful and resentful.

Usage and Examples

• Adjective:
  • Her comments were despiteful, intended only to damage his reputation.
  • He harbored a despiteful resentment toward his former partner for years.
  • The critic's review was not constructive but despiteful and mean-spirited.

Advanced Usage

• "Despiteful conduct": Refers to actions specifically intended to cause harm or distress out of spite.
  • The lawsuit cited a pattern of despiteful conduct by the defendant.
• "Despiteful intent": Indicates that the motivation behind an action is malice or spite.
  • The vandalism was done with despiteful intent, not random mischief.

Variants and Related Words

• Despite (noun/archaic): Contemptuous disregard or malice. (Note: In modern usage, "despite" is almost exclusively a preposition meaning "in spite of.")
• Despitefully (adverb): In a spiteful or malicious manner.
  • He acted despitefully toward his rivals.

Synonyms

• Spiteful: Showing or caused by malice.
• Vindictive: Having or showing a strong or unreasoning desire for revenge.
• Malicious: Intending or intended to do harm.
• Malevolent: Having or showing a wish to do evil to others.

Antonyms

• Benevolent: Well-meaning and kindly.
• Kind: Having or showing a friendly, generous, and considerate nature.
• Forgiving: Ready and willing to forgive.

Notes on Usage

• Formality and Rarity: "Despiteful" is a formal and somewhat archaic or literary word. In everyday modern English, spiteful or vindictive are more commonly used.
• Connotation: The word carries a strong negative connotation, implying a deep-seated, often petty, desire to see others suffer.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. showing malicious ill will and a desire to hurt; motivated by spite
   • a despiteful fiend
   • a truly spiteful child
   • a vindictive man will look for occasions for resentment

Từ đồng nghĩa

• spiteful
• vindictive