Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

spiteful

/ˈspaɪtfʊl/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.92 in modern English

Syllables: spite-ful
IPA: /ˈspaɪtfʊl/

13

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

2

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Filled with, or showing, spite; having a desire to annoy or harm.

Example Sentences

"It's not like you killed someone It's not like you drove a spiteful spear into his side Talk to Jesus Christ as if he knows the reasons why He did it all for you"

Etymology

From Middle English spytefulle. By surface analysis, spite + -ful.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: spytefulle

Inflected Forms

more spiteful (comparative) spitefuller (comparative, rare) most spiteful (superlative) spitefullest (rare, superlative) spightful (alternative, obsolete) spightfull (alternative, obsolete) spitefull (alternative, obsolete)

Derived Forms

spitefully spitefulness unspiteful

Synonyms

malignant malicious nasty barbarous bowelless brutal compassionless cruel flagitious demonic despiteful diabolic

Rhymes With

delightful rightful frightful

Questions

How do you pronounce spiteful?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈspaɪtfʊl/.
What does spiteful mean?: Filled with, or showing, spite; having a desire to annoy or harm.
Where does spiteful come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce spiteful

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “spiteful”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈspaɪtfʊl/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “spiteful”.
Repeat and practice — Say “spiteful” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.