spitefully

Thân thiện

He answered his accusers spitefully.

Definition

1. Adverb:
   • In a manner showing or caused by spite; with a desire to hurt, annoy, or offend: The word describes an action performed with malicious ill will or a mean-spirited desire to cause harm or distress to someone else.

Usage

• The adverb "spitefully" modifies verbs to describe how an action is carried out. It indicates the action is motivated by or expresses spite.
• It is typically used in contexts describing interpersonal conflict, retaliation, or unkind behavior.

Examples

• Adverb:
  • He answered his accusers spitefully, his voice full of venom.
  • She spitefully tore up the letter without reading it.
  • The critic wrote a spitefully harsh review of the actor's performance.

Advanced Usage

• "to act spitefully": to behave in a way intended to cause hurt or difficulty for someone.
  • After the argument, she began to act spitefully towards her former friend.
• "to speak spitefully": to say things with the primary goal of wounding someone's feelings.
  • He was hurt by how spitefully she spoke about his failures.

Variants and Related Words

• Spiteful (adj): having or showing a desire to harm, anger, or defeat someone.
  • He gave her a spiteful look.
• Spite (n): a desire to hurt, annoy, or offend someone.
  • She broke the vase out of pure spite.

Synonyms

• Maliciously: with the intention to do harm.
• Vindictively: with a strong or unreasoning desire for revenge.
• Meanly: in a nasty, unpleasant, or stingy manner.
• Malevolently: with ill will or a wish to do evil.

Antonyms

• Benevolently: in a well-meaning and kindly manner.
• Kindly: in a kind, warm-hearted, or gentle way.
• Charitably: in a generous or forgiving way, especially toward others.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "To cut off one's nose to spite one's face": This idiom describes a self-destructive action taken out of spite, where the harm to oneself is greater than the harm to the target. While it contains the word "spite," it is a fixed phrase illustrating the concept.
  • Refusing the promotion just to annoy his boss was like cutting off his nose to spite his face.

Học thuật

Adverb

1. with spite; in a spiteful manner
   • he answered his accusers spitefully
2. in a maliciously spiteful manner
   • pray for them that despitefully use us

Từ đồng nghĩa

• despitefully