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.
—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
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.
—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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despite
Preposition
-
The declaration notwithstanding, many people no doubt wanted to go on with their lives without getting personally involved in the war.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Tranquility notwithstanding, Suriel was exhausted.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Find something else to illustrate your contempt, not this image.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Which is why Aunt Vidala’s struggle to conceal her contempt for Aunt Lydia has been difficult to understand.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Actual malice is the legal standard by which courts determine if someone is liable for libel.—
Keely Bastow,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Apr. 2026
-
However, the evidence of actual malice does not approach the clear and convincing standard.—
Julie Sharp,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The congresswoman was at a disadvantage, unquestionably, in trying to defend against criminal charges at the same time as the House probe.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The real twist here is a disadvantage because, in losing, Christian has to take an envelope back to camp and read its contents in front of his tribe mates.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Until then, the SPLC mainly made money off of its donor base’s disdain toward the Ku Klux Klan.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Part of what made La Peste distinctive was the vocal balance Dayton struck, between disdain and an almost deadpan affect.—
Eric R. Danton,
Pitchfork,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Scored only by drum machine, a single synth, chimes, and tubular bells, the song’s straightforward tale sounds dramatically magnificent in spite of its spareness.—
Billie Bugara,
Pitchfork,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Coleman decided to blend Italian cooking with barbecue cooking by introducing BBQ spaghetti—in spite of her mother’s objections.—
Taylor Tobin,
Southern Living,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Fuel is one of the largest expenses for airlines.—
Mae Anderson,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
-
The growth in units outpaced Amazon’s fulfillment expenses, which grew 9 percent year over year, as well as outbound shipping costs, which were up 12 percent.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the centuries since colonists waged war against the crown, American’s attitudes toward the royals have shifted from hatred to adoration.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
But the War on Terror persisted and mutated into nightmares in Iraq and Afghanistan, and then Syria, which unleashed that darkness in the form of terrorist states and a refugee crisis that spread anti-Muslim and anti-migrant hatred to Europe, the United States, and beyond.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Despite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despite. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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