spitefulness

noun

Definition of spitefulnessnext
as in malice
the desire to cause pain for the satisfaction of doing harm cut down their neighbors' tree out of sheer spitefulness

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spitefulness
  1. malice
  2. venom
  3. hatred
  4. cruelty
  5. spite
Noun
  • Jose Ibarra was convicted Nov. 20, 2024 of malice murder, three counts of felony murder and assault with intent to rape, among other charges, in Athens-Clarke County Superior Court.
    — Alexandra Koch, Fox News, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Worse than his malice is his neediness, which seems to break through that fourth wall to put its sticky fingers around our throats.
    — Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 18 Feb. 2025
Definition of malice
Noun
  • Its identity can help ensure correct venom is prescribed.
    — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2025
  • They are known as some of the most dangerous animals in the sea due to their extremely powerful venom, and several people in Australia have died after being bitten by one, according to the Australian Museum.
    — Jack Guy, CNN, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of venom
Noun
  • Even if those two men didn’t make it out of Europe alive, the unspeakable acts carried out in the name of Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich would still live on in infamy, reminding humanity what blind hatred and xenophobia could lead to if a society wasn’t careful.
    — Josh Weiss, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Venerable baby boomer Kevin Bacon plays the titular bounty hunter Hub Halloran, a proud Georgia man with little tolerance for tomfoolery and a hatred of the Red Sox.
    — Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of hatred
Noun
  • Kelly Walker, 29, is charged with child abuse, cruelty to animals and the killing and torture of an animal.
    — Chris Spargo, People.com, 20 Mar. 2025
  • On Wednesday morning, David Reid, 28, of Winsted turned himself in at police headquarters and was arrested on an outstanding warrant charging him with one count of cruelty to animals.
    — Staff report, Hartford Courant, 20 Mar. 2025
Definition of cruelty
Noun
  • And in spite of early mixed reviews, it's become a staple in the rom-com canon, thanks in large part of Roberts and Gere's undeniable onscreen chemistry.
    — Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 23 Mar. 2025
  • But in spite of the Dorchester’s aforementioned experiment, Ducasse’s dining room typically sticks to the French standard.
    — Hilary Armstrong, Robb Report, 22 Mar. 2025
Definition of spite
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

spitefully
spitefulness
spites
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Cite this Entry

“Spitefulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spitefulness. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

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