in spite of oneself

adverb

Against one's own plan or desire, or against one's better judgment.

“I laughed in spite of myself as the crying child told me how he had accidentally sat on a cactus.”

Similar
despite oneself
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Meanings

adverbin spite of oneself (not comparable)
  1. not comparableAgainst one's own plan or desire, or against one's better judgment.

    I laughed in spite of myself as the crying child told me how he had accidentally sat on a cactus.

    Synonyms: despite oneself

  2. not comparableDespite one's flaws or foibles.

Synonyms & antonyms

adverbAgainst one's own plan or desire, or against one's better judgment.

Similar
despite oneself
Also see
against one's better judgmentdespite oneself
Cite this entry
APA

in spite of oneself. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20spite%20of%20oneself

MLA

“in spite of oneself.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20spite%20of%20oneself. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “in spite of oneself,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20spite%20of%20oneself.

Source: in spite of oneself on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.