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
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.
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
Andrew Hirschfeld, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2019
And then - despite barely stepping over the halfway line - the hosts hit the crossbar and had a shout for a penalty.
—SI.com, 25 Aug. 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
Harris’ campaign fundraising output has stayed consistent in first quarter around $12 million and $11.8 million in second quarter despite, as first reported by Politico, shakeups among senior campaign staff.
—Andrew Hirschfeld, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2019
And then - despite barely stepping over the halfway line - the hosts hit the crossbar and had a shout for a penalty.
—SI.com, 25 Aug. 2019
See All Example Sentences for despite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despite
Preposition
-
The Moore-DeSilva example notwithstanding, sometimes lawmakers do actually pay attention to the seemingly humdrum business of congratulating people on the chamber floor.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
-
Trump has repeatedly — and publicly — berated Fed Chair Jerome Powell for not lowering the bank’s interest rate (their recent détente notwithstanding), but the central bank is overwhelmingly expected to hold rates steady Wednesday at the conclusion of its two-day monetary policy meeting.—
Lucy Bayly,
CNN Money,
27 July 2025
Noun
-
Officials arrested the 55-year-old on Saturday after a Missouri judge held her in contempt of court for dodging court orders regarding $224,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs owed to PETA.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
23 July 2025
-
The series of photos — and a follow-up Valentine's Day post — were not well-received by Arroyo, who told PEOPLE that Rossi and Smiley barely saw Grayson and all there have been eight contempt of court orders over the years.—
Kayla Grant,
People.com,
18 July 2025
Noun
-
Most action items die from forgetfulness, not malice.—
Ishaan Agarwal,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
-
The incident was reported on July 11 at Fahey’s home where the two men from New York were arrested on voyeurism with malice, first-degree criminal trespassing and second-degree breach of peace charges.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
18 July 2025
Noun
-
However, the sun shone brightly soon after, leaving teams like Red Bull, which had opted for a wet-weather setup on its car, at a disadvantage.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Aug. 2025
-
For example, a small furniture maker in Tennessee can potentially compete with European manufacturers in their local markets without the tariff disadvantage.—
John Hall,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
Noun
-
For the first time, the accord sets a definitive price tag for a U.S. college to assuage the Trump administration, which has made no secret of its disdain for many universities, especially the richest and most selective ones.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
25 July 2025
-
One of the injured parties, who broke their leg and required emergency surgery, expressed disdain for the number of MARTA officers on site.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
17 July 2025
Noun
-
Here’s why employers in 2025 are hiring you because of your side hustle, not in spite of it.—
Andrew Fennell,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
-
In spite of its troubles, the postal service trails only the National Park Service in terms of public favor, according to a 2024 Pew Research Center survey.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
23 July 2025
Noun
-
Created in 2014 through House Bill 800, Texas' R&D tax credit encourages economic development by offering qualifying entities either a sales tax exemption on personal property used in research or a franchise tax credit based on research expenses.—
Karoline Leonard,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
-
That money helped pay for private planes, gifts for funeral directors, unethical payment of funeral expenses and a $750,000 payment to McCoy.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 July 2025
Noun
-
Many were subjected to many forms of hatred spawned from these misunderstandings.—
Meredith Kile,
People.com,
21 July 2025
-
Despite his extensive progressive bona fides, Wertham’s hatred of the comics medium has forever branded him a right-wing zealot in the minds of comic fans.—
Vasilis K. Pozios,
HollywoodReporter,
18 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Despite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despite. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share