Spiteful: meaning, definitions and examples

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spiteful

 

[ ˈspaɪtfəl ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

behavior

Showing or caused by malice; malicious; malevolent.

Synonyms

malevolent, malicious, vindictive

Examples of usage

  • He gave her a spiteful look.
  • Their spiteful comments hurt her feelings.
Context #2 | Adjective

actions

Intended to hurt, annoy, or offend someone.

Synonyms

hurtful, malicious, vindictive

Examples of usage

  • She made a spiteful remark about his appearance.
  • The decision seemed like a spiteful act.

Translations

Translations of the word "spiteful" in other languages:

🇵🇹 malicioso

🇮🇳 द्वेषपूर्ण

🇩🇪 bösartig

🇮🇩 jahat

🇺🇦 зловмисний

🇵🇱 złośliwy

🇯🇵 意地悪な

🇫🇷 malveillant

🇪🇸 malicioso

🇹🇷 kötü niyetli

🇰🇷 악의 있는

🇸🇦 خبيث

🇨🇿 zlovolný

🇸🇰 zlomyselný

🇨🇳 恶意的

🇸🇮 zloben

🇮🇸 illkvittinn

🇰🇿 зұлым

🇬🇪 ბოროტი

🇦🇿 pisniyyətli

🇲🇽 malicioso

Etymology

The word 'spiteful' originated from the Middle English word 'spitful', which meant 'full of spite or malice'. It is derived from the Old English word 'spīt', meaning 'spite'. The concept of spitefulness has been observed in human behavior throughout history, often in the form of revenge or intentional harm towards others.

See also: despite, spitefully, spitefulness.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #23,287, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.