spiteful

/'spaitful/
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spiteful

A spiteful child hides his sister's favorite toy.

Definition
  1. Adjective:
    • Having or showing a desire to harm, annoy, or upset someone, often because of a feeling of resentment or ill will: The primary meaning describes a person, action, or attitude motivated by petty malice or a wish to cause hurt.
    • Characterized by malice; vindictive: It implies a mean-spirited, often persistent, intention to cause distress or injury.
Usage Examples
  • Adjective:
    • Her comments were deliberately spiteful and hurtful.
    • He gave me a spiteful look after the argument.
    • It was a spiteful act to spread those rumors.
Advanced Usage
  • "to be spiteful towards someone": To direct one's malice or ill will at a specific person.
    • She became increasingly spiteful towards her former colleagues.
  • "out of spite": This related phrase describes an action motivated by spite. While not the adjective itself, it clarifies the motivation.
    • He did it out of spite, not for any practical reason.
Variants and Related Words
  • Spite (n): The feeling of wanting to hurt or annoy someone.
    • She acted out of pure spite.
  • Spitefully (adv): In a spiteful manner.
    • He spitefully refused to help.
  • Spitefulness (n): The quality of being spiteful.
    • Her spitefulness alienated her friends.
Synonyms
  • Malicious: Intending to do harm.
  • Vindictive: Having a strong desire for revenge.
  • Malevolent: Wishing evil to others.
  • Venomous: Full of malice or bitterness.
  • Catty (informal): Mean and spiteful, especially in a subtle way.
Antonyms
  • Benevolent: Well-meaning and kindly.
  • Kind: Having a friendly, generous nature.
  • Compassionate: Feeling or showing sympathy and concern for others.
  • Forgiving: Willing to pardon an offense or overlook a mistake.
Related Idioms and Phrases
  • To cut off one's nose to spite one's face: To harm oneself in the process of trying to harm another.
    • By quitting his job just to annoy his boss, he really cut off his nose to spite his face.
spiteful

A spiteful child hides his sister's favorite toy.

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

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