despite
preposition /dɪˈspaɪt/
/dɪˈspaɪt/
- used to show that something happened or is true although something else might have happened to prevent it synonym in spite of
- Her voice was shaking despite all her efforts to control it.
- Despite applying for hundreds of jobs, he is still out of work.
- She was good at physics despite the fact that she found it boring.
Language Bank howeverhoweverWays of saying ‘but’- Politicians have promised to improve road safety. So far, however, little has been achieved.
- Despite clear evidence from road safety studies, no new measures have been introduced.
- Politicians have promised to improve road safety. In spite of this/Despite this, little has been achieved so far.
- Although politicians have promised to improve road safety, little has been achieved so far.
- Some politicians claim that the new transport policy has been a success. In fact, it has been a total disaster.
- Government campaigns have had a measure of success, but the fact remains that large numbers of accidents are still caused by careless drivers.
- despite yourselfused to show that somebody did not intend to do the thing mentioned synonym in spite of
- He had to laugh despite himself.
Word OriginMiddle English (originally used as a noun meaning ‘contempt, scorn’ in the phrase in despite of): from Old French despit, from Latin despectus ‘looking down on’, past participle (used as a noun) of despicere, from de- ‘down’ + specere ‘look at’.