Delight
Delight verb - To feel or express joy or triumph.
Spite
Spite verb - To disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts.
Usage example: sometimes, I swear, she keeps doing that just to spite me
How words are described
| pure | pure delight | pure spite |
| complete | complete delight | complete spite |
| genuine | genuine delight | genuine spite |
| sheer | sheer delight | sheer spite |
| Other adjectives: simple, petty, childish. | ||
Common collocations
Both words in one sentence
-
In Horrible Bosses after Nick learns that his boss David Harken has screwed him out of a promotion by promoting himself in spite of all the hard work Nick did for him, he immediately imagines throwing Harken out of the nearest window to the delight of the other mistreated employees.
Source: Indulgent Fantasy Segue -
One example in "In the Pale Moonlight" where Quark takes a great delight in reminding Sisko that "every man has his price," for resorting to deception and treachery in spite of all the Federation arrogance about superior morality.
Source: Screw You, Elves!
Cite this Source
Spite and Delight. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 14, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/delight/spite
Delight & Spite. N.p., 2016. Web. 14 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/delight/spite>.
Spite or Delight. 2016. Accessed August 14, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/delight/spite.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "delight" and "spite" have occurred on timeline