spitefulness
Mean-spirited ill will
Spitefulness is the quality of wanting to hurt, annoy, or frustrate others out of petty resentment rather than any real gain.
It's malice on a small scale—the satisfaction of ruining someone's day just because you can: The spitefulness of her comment surprised everyone.
Unlike revenge, which responds to specific wrongs, spitefulness often needs no particular provocation.
Active ill will
- ill-willHostile or unkind feeling
- maliceIntent to cause harm
- nastinessSpiteful or foul quality
- meannessSpiteful, unkind disposition
cruelty · venom · malignity · cattiness · pettiness · bile · vitriol · acerbity
Persistent resentment toward someone
- rancorLasting bitter resentment
- bitternessSharp, unpleasant taste or feeling
- piqueWounded pride, resentment
- umbrageOffense taken at insult
grievance · acrimony · indignation · displeasure · envy · jealousy · sullenness · dudgeon
Punishing a wrongdoer
- retaliationPunitive response to injury
- paybackRetaliation for wrongs
- retributionPunishment for wrongdoing
- vengefulnessCraving for retaliation
tit-for-tat · reprisal · backstabbing · sabotage · comeuppance · nemesis · score-settling · one-upmanship
Active, bitter hostility
- enmityBitter, lasting ill will
- hatredIntense hostile aversion
- antagonismActive opposition or hostility
- contemptDisdainful disregard
disdain · scorn · loathing · aversion · detestation · abhorrence · antipathy · aggression
malevolence
Active ill will
meanness · cruelty · venom · malignity · cattiness · pettiness · bile · vitriol · acerbity · hurtfulness
grudge
Persistent resentment toward someone
- rancorLasting bitter resentment
- bitternessSharp, unpleasant taste or feeling
- piqueWounded pride, resentment
umbrage · grievance · acrimony · indignation · displeasure · envy · jealousy · sullenness · dudgeon · offense
revenge
Punishing a wrongdoer
- retaliationPunitive response to injury
- paybackRetaliation for wrongs
- retributionPunishment for wrongdoing
vengefulness · tit-for-tat · reprisal · backstabbing · sabotage · comeuppance · nemesis · score-settling · one-upmanship
animosity
Active, bitter hostility
- enmityBitter, lasting ill will
- hatredIntense hostile aversion
- antagonismActive opposition or hostility
contempt · disdain · scorn · loathing · aversion · detestation · abhorrence · antipathy · aggression · belligerence
- malicemalice, ill will, malevolence, malignity, venom
- angeranger, rage, fury, wrath, ire
- vengeancerevenge, vengeance, vendetta, retribution, retaliation
- combativenessaggression, antagonism, belligerence, bellicosity, combativeness
spitefulnesskindness
Considerate, caring disposition
benevolence · kindheartedness · goodwill · compassion · charity
spitefulnessmagnanimity
Generous, noble spirit
generosity · munificence · liberality · nobility · graciousness
spitefulnessforgiveness
Releasing resentment toward offenders
forgivingness · mercifulness · clemency · forbearance · tolerance