as in notwithstanding
without being prevented by
we went to the party despite the bad weather outside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in contempt
open dislike for someone or something considered unworthy of one's concern or respect
pointedly ignored his false friend out of despite
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in malice
the desire to cause pain for the satisfaction of doing harm
sheer despite was the sole reason for her hurtful comments
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in disadvantage
the negative result caused by something that creates difficulty for achieving success
baffled as to why working-class voters would vote in despite of their own economic interests
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of despite
al, 6 May 2020
Los Angeles County beaches will remain closed for the time being, despite other coastal stretches reopening — with limitations — this week in nearby Orange County with the state’s blessing.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2020
Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2023
Westbrook recently scored a triple-double despite shooting 7-for-27 from the floor.
—Bruce Jenkins, SFChronicle.com, 7 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for despite
Preposition
Through the family’s ups and downs, Copeland was a steadying presence, despite his disability.
—Noun
Despite the fact that the age of female winners has been steadily increasing in the last despite, the average female Oscar winner is 39 years old, according to a Sky News 2023 report—almost a decade younger than the average male winner at 47.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for despite
Preposition
-
Suddenly, an actual external parasite of unknown origin seemed to be its main topic, notwithstanding when it was written.—
-
Paris Fashion Week notwithstanding, French style is the inspiration for the minimalist, high-quality, mix-and-match approach.—
Noun
-
Every day, Trump exhibits his contempt for laws enacted by Congress — and for the Constitution itself.—
-
Crosland also represented Troconis on contempt charges and successfully had those offenses dropped last June.—
Noun
-
Prosecutors could not prove malice in the case.—
-
Some commenters did acknowledge a minority viewpoint, suggesting the conflict may stem from differing perspectives rather than malice.—
Noun
-
The Patriots have a clear kicking disadvantage in this one.—
-
In some ways, The Pitt’s breakout first season put it at a disadvantage going into the second.—
Noun
-
There were no scrums, barely any big hits and absolute zero sense of disdain from one bench to the other.—
-
Later, amid speaking about his own wife, interview guest Josh Charles joked about Goldberg's disdain for the previous topic.—
Noun
-
But that’s often in spite of, not because of, government design.—
-
Jennings is held together by tape, adrenaline, and pure spite.—
Noun
-
But some of her most brutal one-liners came at the expense of the cast of Paul Thomas Anderson's celebrated One Battle After Another.—
-
Grace plans to use any earnings from Quinn’s sale to cover expenses of his upkeep, such as grain and veterinary bills.—
Noun
-
Some viewers will know Rapaport from his decadeslong acting career but also that one very irritating season of Justified; others will know him for his anti-Palestinian rants and hatred of New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani.—
-
This is not to say that rape can be separated from the hatred of women, just that, in certain situations, the role of the victim can be violently reassigned.—
Cite this Entry
“Despite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despite. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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