Basic Details
Word: Spiteful
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Having a desire to hurt, annoy, or offend someone.
Synonyms: Malicious, vindictive, malevolent
Antonyms: Kind, benevolent, helpful
Idioms and Phrases
- Spite the world: To act aggressively or defiantly against everyones opinion. Example: "He decided to pursue his art career spite the world who thought it was a bad idea."
- Out of spite: To do something intentionally to annoy or hurt someone. Example: "She refused to invite him to the party out of spite for how he had treated her."
Usage Examples
Example 1: She made spiteful comments about her friend's success because she felt jealous.
Example 2: His spiteful actions only made the situation worse and hurt many people's feelings.
Example 3: Instead of resolving the issue, they continued to argue in a spiteful manner.
Fun Fact
The word "spite" originates from the Latin word "spitus," meaning "to show a desire to hurt," and it dates back to the 14th century, reflecting human emotions that have been around for a long time.
Famous Quote
"The greatest harm can result from the best intentions." - L.E. Modesitt Jr. (Invoking the idea that even spiteful actions can come from a place of misunderstanding or ill thoughts.)
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. What does "spiteful" mean?
a) Full of love
b) Full of happiness
c) Having a desire to hurt or annoy
d) Wanting to play
Answer: c) Having a desire to hurt or annoy
2. Which of these is a synonym of "spiteful"?
a) Malevolent
b) Friendly
c) Charitable
d) Generous
Answer: a) Malevolent
3. Which word is an antonym of "spiteful"?
a) Vindictive
b) Kind
c) Malicious
d) Malevolent
Answer: b) Kind
4. Which sentence uses "spiteful" correctly?
a) The spiteful dog played happily with the children.
b) She made a spiteful remark about his new job.
c) They laughed in a spiteful way.
d) The spiteful flowers grew beautifully in the garden.
Answer: b) She made a spiteful remark about his new job.
5. Which idiom relates to acting out of spite?
a) Spite the world
b) Catching butterflies
c) Going to town
d) Making a mountain out of a molehill
Answer: a) Spite the world
