Difference Between Despite And In Spite | Stop Mixing Them Up

If you’ve ever paused mid-sentence and thought, “Which one should I pick here?”, you’re not alone. These two expressions sit close together in meaning, so your brain treats them like twins. The difference shows up in grammar: what can come next, where they sit in a sentence, and which version sounds natural in more formal writing.

This article gives you clean rules, quick checks, and lots of real sentence shapes. You’ll see when the two are interchangeable, when they aren’t, and how to fix the mistakes that teachers and editors spot fast.

What “Despite” And “In Spite Of” Mean

Both expressions point to contrast: something happened, even with a factor that might have stopped it. A simple paraphrase is “regardless of X.” The main idea stays true, even with the obstacle.

Here are two sentences with the same meaning:

• She went for a walk despite the rain.
• She went for a walk in spite of the rain.

So what changes? Mostly the form that comes after the phrase, plus a few style choices that affect flow.

Difference Between Despite And In Spite In Real Sentences

Start with the simplest rule: “in spite of” must be followed by “of” plus a noun phrase or an -ing form. “despite” does not use “of.” That tiny word is why many learners slip.

Structure After Each Phrase

Both commonly take these forms:

• Noun phrase: despite the delay / in spite of the delay
• -ing form: despite working late / in spite of working late
• Pronoun: despite it / in spite of it

Now the part people argue about: clauses. In careful, standard writing, neither phrase is meant to be followed directly by a full clause (subject + verb) with no extra wording. Still, everyday English can be messy, and you may see patterns that teachers don’t accept in exams.

Clauses And The “The Fact That” Fix

If you want a full clause, this construction is safe and widely taught:

• despite the fact that + clause
• in spite of the fact that + clause

Sentence shapes:

• He left early despite the fact that he had promised to stay.
• He left early in spite of the fact that he had promised to stay.

You’ll also see “despite” followed by a clause in informal writing (despite he was tired…). Many teachers mark that as an error. If you’re writing for school, exams, job emails, or applications, stick with “the fact that” for clauses.

Placement In A Sentence

Both can sit at the start, middle, or end of a sentence. The choice is mostly rhythm and emphasis.

• Front: Despite the noise, she kept reading.
• Middle: She kept reading, despite the noise.
• End: She kept reading despite the noise.

“In spite of” behaves the same way, though it’s longer, so it can feel heavier at the start of a sentence. Writers often place it later to keep the opening tight.

Formality And Tone

“Despite” is shorter and often reads more formal. “In spite of” can feel a touch more conversational, though it’s fully correct in formal writing too. If you want a cleaner sentence with fewer words, “despite” usually wins.

If you want a reliable reference for definitions and standard patterns, the Cambridge Dictionary entry for despite and the Cambridge Dictionary entry for in spite of show common uses and example sentences.

How To Choose The Right One In 10 Seconds

When you’re writing, you don’t need to run a grammar lecture in your head. You need a quick check that works every time.

1. Look at the next word. If you see “of,” you’re already in the “in spite of” pattern.
2. Ask what follows. If it’s a noun phrase or an -ing form, either choice works.
3. If a full clause must follow, add “the fact that,” or rewrite with “but.”
4. Read it aloud. If it feels bulky, try the shorter option.

That’s your whole decision process. Simple, repeatable, and easy to learn.

Side-By-Side Patterns Writers Use Most

This table pulls the most common sentence shapes into one place. Use it as a quick “does this look right?” scan while editing.

Situation	“Despite” Pattern	“In Spite Of” Pattern
Noun phrase follows	despite the storm	in spite of the storm
-ing form follows	despite feeling sick	in spite of feeling sick
Pronoun follows	despite it	in spite of it
Full clause needed	despite the fact that she knew	in spite of the fact that she knew
Negative idea after it	despite no warning signs	in spite of no warning signs
Long noun phrase after it	despite the delays at the gate	in spite of the delays at the gate
Common learner mix-up	despite of the cost (wrong)	in spite the cost (wrong)
Compact, formal feel	Often chosen	Correct, just longer
Speech-like feel	Still natural	Often heard

The Mistakes Teachers Mark Most

Most errors come from mixing the two patterns. Once you know the typical traps, you can fix them in seconds.

Adding “Of” After “Despite”

This is the classic error:

• Wrong: Despite of the traffic, we arrived on time.
• Right: Despite the traffic, we arrived on time.

If you catch yourself typing “despite of,” delete “of.” That one change fixes the line.

Dropping “Of” From “In Spite Of”

It’s the mirror problem:

• Wrong: In spite the traffic, we arrived on time.
• Right: In spite of the traffic, we arrived on time.

Using A Full Clause With No Extra Words

Many learners write:

• Often marked wrong: Despite he studied, he failed the test.

Fix it with one of these rewrites:

• Despite studying, he failed the test.
• Despite the fact that he studied, he failed the test.
• He studied, but he failed the test.

That last version is useful when you want a plain contrast with fewer moving parts.

Confusing Contrast With Cause

These phrases show contrast. They don’t show cause. If you mean “because of,” choose “because of” or “due to.” Compare these:

• We played outside despite the cold. (Cold didn’t stop us.)
• We stayed inside because of the cold. (Cold caused the choice.)

Punctuation And Flow In Longer Writing

When the phrase comes first, a comma after the opening part is common in edited writing. It helps the reader parse the sentence.

• Despite the warning, they entered the area.
• In spite of the warning, they entered the area.

When the phrase comes at the end, many writers skip the comma. Use a comma if you want a stronger pause.

• They entered the area despite the warning.
• They entered the area, in spite of the warning.

One more detail: keep the contrast phrase close to the idea it modifies. If you drop it too far away, the sentence can feel slippery, and your reader may reread it.

Ways To Keep Sentences Clear

Try these habits:

1. Put the contrast phrase near the clause it relates to.
2. Keep the chunk after it short when you can (the delay, the rain, the noise).
3. If the contrast chunk turns into a long clause, switch to “the fact that,” or split the thought into two sentences.

When The Two Are Interchangeable

Most of the time, you can swap them with no change in meaning. If what follows is a noun phrase or an -ing form, you’re in the safe zone.

Swap examples:

• They finished the project despite limited time.
• They finished the project in spite of limited time.
• She smiled despite feeling nervous.
• She smiled in spite of feeling nervous.

In those cases, pick based on length and sound. If your sentence already has a lot of long phrases, “despite” often reads cleaner.

When One Choice Reads Better

Even when both are correct, the shorter one can sharpen a sentence. That’s not a strict rule, it’s writing craft.

Short Sentences

In a short line, “in spite of” can feel wordy. “Despite” often fits better:

• Despite the risk, she agreed.

Rhythm Across A Paragraph

If you’ve used “despite” twice in one paragraph, “in spite of” can break the repetition. You’re still expressing the same contrast, just with a different sound.

Extra Weight On The Obstacle

Because it’s longer, “in spite of” can put more weight on the obstacle, especially at the start:

• In spite of years of practice, he still gets nervous before a speech.

Mini Practice: Fix And Rewrite Like An Editor

Practice is where the rules stick. Read each line, spot the issue, then rewrite it in two ways: one with “despite,” one with “in spite of.” Don’t rush. Your goal is clean structure, not fancy vocabulary.

Sentence Set One: “Of” Mix-Ups

• Despite of her busy schedule, she calls every weekend.
• In spite the rain, the match continued.
• Despite of the price, he bought the book.

Sentence Set Two: Clause Trouble

• Despite she felt unready, she volunteered to speak.
• In spite of he was warned, he touched the wire.
• Despite they had a map, they got lost.

Clean Rewrite Patterns To Copy

These patterns cover nearly every rewrite you’ll need:

• Despite + noun phrase, main clause
• In spite of + noun phrase, main clause
• Despite + -ing form, main clause
• In spite of + -ing form, main clause
• Despite the fact that + clause, main clause
• In spite of the fact that + clause, main clause

Quick Choice Table For Common Writing Goals

This second table is a fast picker. It’s handy when you’re rewriting and don’t want to overthink.

Your Goal	Best Fit	Model Sentence
Keep it short	despite	Despite the delay, we made the flight.
Stress the obstacle	in spite of	In spite of the delay, we made the flight.
Follow with an -ing form	Either	She kept talking despite feeling tired.
Follow with a full clause	Either + “the fact that”	In spite of the fact that it was late, they stayed.
Vary wording in one paragraph	Swap between them	Use “despite” once, then “in spite of” later.

A Simple Edit Checklist Before You Submit

This checklist catches nearly every mistake in seconds:

1. If you see “despite of,” remove “of.”
2. If you see “in spite” without “of,” add “of.”
3. If a subject and verb come right after the phrase, switch to “the fact that,” or rewrite with “but.”
4. Read the sentence aloud. If the opening feels heavy, move the phrase later.
5. Check commas: opening phrase + comma is common; ending phrase often needs none.

Once you can run that checklist, you can write smoothly under exam time limits and still sound natural.