meanspirited

[ meen-spir-i-tid ]

adjective

1. petty; small-minded; ungenerous:

   a meanspirited man, unwilling to forgive.

Other Words From

• meanspirit·ed·ly adverb
• meanspirit·ed·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of meanspirited¹

First recorded in 1685–95; mean ² + spirited

Example Sentences

He made the comments pushing back on his critics in response to a question about working in a world that seems meanspirited.

From Seattle Times

“This is a man!” the freaked-out Teamster shouts in “Dead Outlaw,” a mischievous but never meanspirited ghost story of a musical about McCurdy from the creators of “The Band’s Visit.”

From New York Times

Mr. Gruters accused the governor of retribution, calling him “meanspirited” and saying he had chosen to “punish ordinary Floridians” because of a political disagreement.

From New York Times

Opponents of the Florida law say it stands out for being “particularly meanspirited,” as the Human Rights Campaign described it.

From New York Times

After him came the reality-TV deluge — not all of it exploitative or meanspirited or cynical, but enough of it.

From New York Times