despite
🔊 Pronunciation
/dɪˈspaɪt/
📝 Conjunction Type
Type: preposition (not a true conjunction)
Function: concessive – expresses contrast/unexpected result
Register: formal to neutral
📖 Meanings & Functions
without being affected by; in spite of; notwithstanding – introduces a contrast between an expected result and actual outcome
Relation: concession – acknowledges a fact that contrasts with or seems to contradict the main statement
“Despite the rain, we went hiking.”
“She succeeded despite many obstacles.”
“Despite his experience, he made several mistakes.”
Function: introduces information that contrasts with expectations based on the main clause
used with gerunds (-ing forms) to show contrast with an action or state
Relation: concessive with verbal actions
“Despite working hard, he failed the exam.”
“Despite being tired, she continued running.”
“Despite having studied for hours, I felt unprepared.”
used with noun phrases containing 'the fact that' to introduce clauses
Relation: concessive with full clauses
“Despite the fact that it was raining, we went out.”
“Despite the fact that he's wealthy, he lives simply.”
“Despite the fact that she arrived late, she was allowed to take the test.”
🔗 Syntactic Patterns
Clause initial
Despite + noun phrase/gerund, main clause
“Despite the heavy traffic, we arrived on time.”
Punctuation: comma required after the despite phrase
Clause medial
Subject + verb + object/complement + despite + noun phrase
“She succeeded, despite numerous setbacks, in completing her degree.”
Punctuation: commas required before and after for parenthetical insertion
Clause final
Main clause + despite + noun phrase
“We continued with the project despite the budget cuts.”
Punctuation: no comma before despite in final position
Parenthetical use
Main clause, despite + noun phrase, continuation
“The team, despite their inexperience, won the championship.”
Punctuation: commas required on both sides
✍️ Punctuation Rules
Comma Usage
Before conjunction: never – despite is a preposition, not a conjunction
After conjunction: always required when despite phrase is in initial position
With introductory clause: comma required: Despite the rain, we left.
In lists: not applicable – despite doesn't coordinate list items
✓ Despite the weather, we enjoyed the trip.
❌ *Despite the weather we enjoyed the trip.
comma required after introductory despite phrase
✓ We enjoyed the trip despite the weather.
❌ *We enjoyed the trip, despite the weather.
no comma before despite in final position (though some style guides allow it)
✓ The team, despite their losses, remained optimistic.
❌ *The team despite their losses remained optimistic.
commas required for parenthetical despite phrase
🔗 Clause Combining
Can connect:
Phrases Sentences
Tense patterns:
Present combinations:
Despite the noise, I am concentrating well.
Despite her age, she runs marathons.
Despite being busy, he always helps others.
Past combinations:
Despite the warnings, they went ahead with the plan.
Despite having prepared thoroughly, she was nervous.
Despite the difficulties, we completed the project on time.
Mixed tense rules: tense in main clause is independent of the despite phrase; despite phrase typically uses noun or gerund form, not finite verbs
Sequence of tenses: not applicable – despite takes noun phrases, not finite clauses
📚 Discourse & Coherence
Text organization: signals concession in argumentation; acknowledges counterarguments or obstacles while maintaining main position
Paragraph use: can introduce topic sentences that acknowledge complications: 'Despite these challenges, the project succeeded.'
Academic writing: highly valued for showing nuanced thinking; acknowledges complexity while maintaining argument; common in literature reviews and discussion sections
Coherence patterns:
In argumentation: acknowledges opposing view then refutes or qualifies it
In narrative: introduces complications or obstacles that are overcome
In description: contrasts appearance with reality or expectations with actuality
In cause-effect: shows unexpected outcomes given certain conditions
⚠️ Common Errors
❌ *Despite it was raining, we went out.→✓ Despite the rain, we went out. / Although it was raining, we went out.
despite cannot be followed directly by a finite clause (subject + verb); it requires a noun phrase or gerund
Common for: speakers of languages where concessive markers take clauses (Spanish 'a pesar de que', French 'bien que')
❌ *Despite of the rain, we went out.→✓ Despite the rain, we went out. / In spite of the rain, we went out.
despite is never followed by 'of'; confusion with 'in spite of' which requires 'of'
❌ *Despite the rain but we went out.→✓ Despite the rain, we went out. / Although it was raining, we went out.
double concessive marking – using both despite and but is redundant
Common for: common among Chinese speakers and others whose L1 uses multiple markers
❌ *Despite the rain. We went out.→✓ Despite the rain, we went out.
despite phrase cannot stand alone as complete sentence; it must connect to a main clause
Serious – creates sentence fragment impact
❌ *We went out despite of it was raining.→✓ We went out despite the rain. / We went out despite it raining. / We went out although it was raining.
combines two errors: 'despite of' and 'despite + finite clause'
Common for: multiple language backgrounds – conflates despite with in spite of and treats it like although
❌ *Despite he studied hard, he failed.→✓ Despite studying hard, he failed. / Despite his hard work, he failed. / Although he studied hard, he failed.
despite requires noun phrase or gerund, not subject + verb
🌍 Etymology
Origin: Middle English, from Old French 'despit' (contempt, scorn), from Latin 'despectus' (looking down on), past participle of 'despicere' (to look down on, despise)
Original meaning: “contempt, scorn, malice – the original sense was 'in defiance of' or 'in contempt of'”
Development: 14th century: meant 'contempt' or 'malice'; 15th-16th century: began to be used as preposition meaning 'in defiance of'; modern usage: neutral concessive meaning without the negative connotation of contempt