spitefulness
/'spaitfulnis/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. The quality or state of being spiteful; a desire to hurt, annoy, or offend someone: Spitefulness involves deliberately causing harm or distress to another person, often motivated by petty resentment or a sense of malice. 2. A feeling or attitude characterized by a need to see others suffer: This meaning emphasizes the emotional component—the enjoyment or satisfaction derived from another person's misfortune or pain.
Usage and Examples
- General Use:
- Her constant criticism was driven more by pure spitefulness than by any desire to help.
- I was shocked by the sheer spitefulness of his comments.
- Describing a Person's Character:
- He is known for his spitefulness, often spreading rumors about his colleagues.
- Describing an Action:
- Destroying his project was an act of childish spitefulness.
Advanced Usage
- "with spitefulness": Used to describe the manner in which an action is performed.
- She refused the invitation with deliberate spitefulness.
- Conceptual Use: Spitefulness is often discussed in psychology and ethics as a destructive personality trait or a form of aggression distinct from anger, as it seeks to inflict harm for its own sake.
Variants and Related Words
- Spiteful (adjective): Having or showing a desire to harm, anger, or defeat someone.
- He made a spiteful remark about her appearance.
- Spite (noun): A desire to hurt, annoy, or offend someone.
- She cut up his clothes out of spite.
- Spite (verb, less common): To deliberately annoy, hurt, or offend.
- He only said it to spite me.
Synonyms
- Malice: The intention or desire to do evil or cause injury to another person.
- Malevolence: The state or condition of having a wish to do evil to others.
- Vindictiveness: A strong or unreasoning desire for revenge.
- Venom: Extreme malice and bitterness shown in someone's attitudes, speech, or actions.
- Nastiness: The quality of being unpleasant, especially in a mean-spirited way.
Antonyms
- Benevolence: The quality of being well-meaning; kindness.
- Goodwill: Friendly, helpful, or cooperative feelings or attitude.
- Kindness: The quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.
Idioms and Phrases
- "Cut off one's nose to spite one's face": To harm oneself in the process of attempting to harm another. While this idiom uses "spite," it perfectly illustrates the self-destructive nature often associated with spitefulness.
- By quitting his job just to annoy his boss, he really cut off his nose to spite his face.
Noun
- malevolence by virtue of being malicious or spiteful or nasty
- feeling a need to see others suffer