spiteful of him

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "spiteful of him" is not correct in standard written English.
It is likely intended to express that someone is acting with spite or malice, but the construction is awkward and not commonly used. Example: "It was quite spiteful of him to spread rumors about her after their argument."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

The brothers' getaway is a farce, and Nick winds up in custody, where other miscreants take spiteful advantage of him.

The New Yorker

John Ruskin (1819-1900) Forgethehe spiteful, reductive portraits of him in Emma Thompson's Effie Gray and Mike Leigh's Mr Turner.

The Guardian

Christian Voice national director Stephen Green told MediaGuardian.co.uk that he expected to get the case heard by the House of Lords, but said it had been "a bit spiteful" of judges to deny him permission to appeal himself.

The Guardian

The inspiration for their film and 3-D installation Spiteful of Dream came from visiting Derby's Bosnia & Herzegovina refugee centre.

Independent

It took 54 years for South Carolina to realize that flying the Confederate flag over its state house was antagonistically tone-deaf at best and, at worst, aggressively spiteful of the history of slavery and systemic racism in the state.

The Guardian - Opinion

When Gabrielle first appeared in the yard, none of the other women knew anything about her. "Because her hair was cut very short, like a boy's, the most spiteful of the prisoners put the word around that she was a lesbian".

The New Yorker

There was never any planning ahead, and it was also slightly spiteful of the audience in some way.

Vice

This is what he said of the inevitable Tory charge that he is indulging in the politics of envy: I do not [suggest] this – and this is one of the reasons why I have never agreed with leftist politics – out of some spiteful sense of revenge.

The Guardian

The unrelenting electronics produced by PF Project are accompanied by Ewan McGregor's almost spiteful delivery of the description of the things you can aspire to with an ordinary lifestyle.

The Guardian - Music

Hex On The Beach, the mercifully brief offering from King Tears Mortuary, Old Rat, Melbourne's unusually jaunty and cheerful Useless Children, Cured Pink's frankly disturbing vortex of sound, the spiteful rancour of WASP (no, not that one).

The Guardian - Music

Among those of us who have voted Democratic for most of our lives, the mood is less of spiteful defiance than of sorrow.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "spiteful of him" in formal writing. Opt for more grammatically correct alternatives like "it was spiteful of him to..." or replace it with a synonym such as "malicious" or "mean-spirited".

Common error

The preposition "of" is often misused with adjectives describing behavior. Ensure the sentence structure is grammatically sound by using "spiteful" as part of a longer phrase such as "it was a spiteful action" rather than directly followed by "of him".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "spiteful of him" functions as an adjective phrase attempting to describe someone's actions or character as being motivated by spite. However, Ludwig AI indicates that this specific construction is not grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Missing

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "spiteful of him" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard written English. As Ludwig AI points out, it's better to opt for more grammatically sound alternatives such as "malicious of him", "mean-spirited of him", or restructuring the sentence to say "it was spiteful of him to..." . While the intention is to express disapproval of someone's actions driven by malice, using the correct grammatical structure ensures clarity and professionalism. It's essential to choose the right words and phrases to effectively communicate the intended message.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

malicious of him

Replaces "spiteful" with "malicious", maintaining a similar level of formality while emphasizing the intent to cause harm.

vindictive of him

Replaces "spiteful" with "vindictive", focusing on the desire for revenge behind his actions.

mean-spirited of him

Substitutes "spiteful" with "mean-spirited", highlighting the unkind and petty nature of the action.

rancorous of him

Suggests a deep-seated bitterness and animosity in his actions, providing a more intense alternative.

cruel of him

Uses "cruel" to emphasize the harsh and heartless nature of his behavior.

ill-natured of him

Offers a more formal and less common alternative, using "ill-natured" to express his malicious disposition.

nasty of him

Offers a more informal alternative, using "nasty" to convey disapproval of his actions.

petty of him

Uses "petty" to highlight the insignificance and small-mindedness of his spiteful actions.

unkind of him

Replaces "spiteful" with "unkind", softening the tone while still indicating disapproval.

resentful of him

Emphasizes the feeling of bitterness and ill-will that underlies his actions, changing the focus slightly.

FAQs

Is "spiteful of him" grammatically correct?

According to Ludwig AI, the phrase "spiteful of him" is not considered grammatically correct in standard written English. It's better to rephrase it for clarity and correctness.

What are some alternatives to "spiteful of him"?

You can use alternatives such as "malicious of him", "mean-spirited of him", or "it was spiteful of him to..." depending on the context.

How can I use "spiteful" correctly in a sentence?

Instead of saying "spiteful of him", you could say "It was "spiteful of him to" spread rumors" or "His actions were spiteful".

What does "spiteful" mean?

"Spiteful" means showing or caused by malice. It describes someone who is deliberately nasty or hurtful.