*Despite Of | Definition, Correct Use & Examples

The preposition despite means “regardless of,” “even though,” or “notwithstanding.”

Despite and in spite of are also synonymous, but it’s important to remember that despite of is incorrect; the “of” is only needed in the other phrasing. A QuillBot grammar check can help you easily catch errors like “despite of.”

Examples: Despite of in a sentence
  • The dog keeps whining, despite of the fact that he’s been fed.
  • The dog keeps whining, despite the fact that he’s been fed.
  • The dog keeps whining, in spite of the fact that he’s been fed.

Frequently asked questions about despite of

What does despite mean?

The preposition despite is used to mean “notwithstanding,” “regardless of,” or “even though.”

A prepositional phrase beginning with despite introduces contrasting information (e.g., “Despite the sunny weather, we stayed inside all day”).

Despite and in spite of are used interchangeably (e.g., “In spite of the sunny weather …”).

The QuillBot Paraphrasing Tool can help you vary your vocabulary to reflect your intended meaning.

What does in spite of mean?

In spite of is a preposition that means “regardless of,” “even though,” or “notwithstanding.”

It introduces a prepositional phrase providing some contrasting information (e.g., “In spite of his lateness, Jimmy strolled into class as if nothing were wrong”).

In spite of and despite can be used interchangeably (e.g., “Despite his lateness …”).

The QuillBot Paraphrasing Tool can help you vary your vocabulary to reflect your intended meaning.

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Jack Caulfield, MA

Jack is a Brit based in Amsterdam, with an MA in literature. He writes about his specialist topics: grammar, linguistics, citations, and plagiarism. In his spare time, he reads a lot of books.