Meanings
comparative more despiteful · superlative most despiteful · alternative despightful · alternative despightfull
- archaicFull of despite; expressing malice or contemptuous hate.
The Londoners seeing that they could get no vantage against the duke, who was without their reach, to bewreak their anger they took his arms, which in most despiteful wise they hanged up in the open places of the city in sign of reproach, as for a traitor; […]
1841, John Foxe, The History of John Wickliffe, page 21
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveshowing malicious ill will and a desire to hurt; motivated by spite
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Cite this entry
despiteful. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/despiteful
“despiteful.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/despiteful. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “despiteful,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/despiteful.
Source: despiteful on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.