Spite (sentiment)

To spite is to intentionally annoy, hurt, or upset. Spiteful words or actions are delivered in such a way that it is clear that the person is delivering them just to annoy, hurt, or upset.^[1] When the intent to annoy, hurt, or upset is shown subtly, behavior is considered catty.^[2]

The Underground Man, in Fyodor Dostoevsky's novella Notes from Underground, is an example of spite. His motivation remains constantly spiteful, undercutting his own existence and ability to live.

See also

• Crab mentality
• Cutting off the nose to spite the face
• Hostility
• Resentment
• Spite (game theory)
• Schadenfreude
• Spite fence
• Spite house
• Tall poppy syndrome

References

v t e Emotions (list) Emotions Adoration Affection Agitation Agony Awe Amusement Anger Anguish Annoyance Anxiety Apathy Arousal Attraction Caring Compassion Contempt Contentment Defeat Depression Desire Disappointment Disgust Ecstasy Embarrassment Empathy Enthrallment Enthusiasm Envy Euphoria Excitement Fear Frustration Grief Guilt Happiness Hatred Homesickness Hope Horror Hostility Humiliation Hysteria Infatuation Insecurity Insult Interest Irritation Isolation Jealousy Loneliness Longing Love Lust Melancholy Neglect Nostalgia Optimism Panic Passion Pity Pleasure Pride Rage Regret Rejection Remorse Resentment Sadness Sentimentality Shame Shock Sorrow Spite Suffering Surprise Sympathy Tenseness Wonder Worry Worldviews Nihilism Optimism Pessimism Reclusion Weltschmerz