sheer spite

USAGE SUMMARY

"sheer spite" is a correct and usable phrase when referring to hateful speech or action motivated out of spite.
For example: "He refused to help his neighbor, out of sheer spite."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

21 human-written examples

"Out of sheer spite.

Independent

This policy is sheer spite, because these jobs don't exist.

The Guardian - Opinion

No, the only way to understand the refusal to expand Medicaid is as an act of sheer spite.

The New York Times

In fact, in sheer spite I gave up my work for Socialism for at least three years".

The New Yorker

Rowling has previously said that Ron also came close to meeting his maker "out of sheer spite" when she was going through an unhappy time.

Independent

Sheer spite — the desire to sabotage anything with President Obama's name on it — is the real reason, but doesn't sound too good.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

39 human-written examples

It's clear from their rather feeble, clumsy efforts to enforce some belated rules of engagement that the big social media companies can't realistically cope with the sheer volume of spite they attract.

The Guardian - Opinion

Working with a script by Alan Sharp, Aldrich leaches the territorial politics from the conflict and strips it to sheer hatred and blood spite.

The New Yorker

If there is a highpoint in this, it may be that the establishment have straight away been driven onto their pseudo-patriotic and rascally last redoubt given the sheer force of public spite towards their lost champion.

Independent

She remained calm in spite of the sheer terror she was clearly facing, for which I was (again, perhaps selfishly) grateful – I didn't fancy explaining to our driver the specifics of a condition I myself knew next to nothing about.

Vice

The sheer size of the gathering — nearly 50,000 participants including more than 100 heads of state or government — may have raised expectations, in spite of the mixed record of previous such gatherings.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "sheer spite" to describe actions or decisions that seem to lack any rational basis other than a desire to harm or upset someone. It implies a disproportionate and often petty motivation.

Common error

Avoid using "sheer spite" when the action is a reasonable response to a genuine offense. "Sheer spite" suggests an irrational and excessive reaction, not a proportionate one.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sheer spite" functions as a noun phrase, where "sheer" intensifies the degree of "spite". As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it denotes hateful actions driven purely by spite. It's used to emphasize the unreasonable or excessive nature of the spite.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

95%

Formal & Business

2%

Science

1%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "sheer spite" is a common phrase used to describe actions motivated by nothing more than a desire to harm or upset someone. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and primarily appears in news and media contexts. While the phrase itself is considered neutral in register, it carries a negative connotation due to the inherent nature of "spite". When using "sheer spite", ensure that the described action genuinely lacks any rational basis beyond malicious intent, distinguishing it from justified anger or reasonable responses to offense.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

pure malice

Emphasizes the intent to cause harm or suffering with a sense of purity or unmixed motivation.

simple spite

Highlights the uncomplicated nature of the spiteful motivation, suggesting a lack of deeper reasoning.

utter vindictiveness

Conveys a sense of complete and unrestrained desire for revenge or retaliation.

unadulterated resentment

Stresses the pure, untainted nature of the feeling of bitterness or indignation.

sheer malice

Replace "spite" with a synonym, "malice", to emphasize the intention or desire to do evil.

out of malice

Focuses on malice as the primary motivation, simplifying the structure.

extreme animosity

Emphasizes a deep-seated hostility and antagonism, changing the intensity.

plain vindictiveness

Underscores the obvious and straightforward nature of the vengeful behavior.

deep-seated bitterness

Highlights the long-lasting and ingrained nature of the negative emotion.

implacable hostility

Implies an unappeasable and unrelenting animosity, indicating a lack of forgiveness.

FAQs

How can I use "sheer spite" in a sentence?

You can use "sheer spite" to describe actions motivated by an intense desire to harm or upset someone, like: "He deleted her files out of "sheer spite"." This suggests the action was unreasonable and driven only by negativity.

What's a similar phrase to "sheer spite"?

Alternatives to "sheer spite" include "pure malice", "simple spite", or "utter vindictiveness", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "sheer spite" formal or informal?

"Sheer spite" is generally considered a neutral term suitable for most contexts, though it carries a negative connotation due to the nature of "spite" itself.

What kind of actions does "sheer spite" typically describe?

"Sheer spite" often describes actions that are petty, irrational, and disproportionate to any perceived offense, highlighting the unreasonable motivation behind them. The actions are meant to cause harm or upset someone for no logical reason.