Despite vs. In Spite of

Are these two really the same or do they have some differences? These two are common among native speakers, if you don't already know.

What Is Their Main Difference?

Interestingly, these two are basically the same. They are used to show the contrast between two things.

Differences

As stated above, these two words show the contrast between two things. Note that they are grammatically different. 'Despite' is a preposition whereas, 'in spite of' is a prepositional phrase. Check out the following examples:

Despite all the difficulties, she was able to get back on her knees again.

In spite of all the things you've put me through, I will always succeed.

Similarities

Below, we are going to analyze how 'despite' and 'in spite of' show the contrast between two things:

Despite her extroverted nature, she keeps quiet.

In spite of all my efforts, the result was not satisfactory.

Are They Interchangeable?

Since they are both identical, they can be used interchangeably. Compare:

✓ Despite the fact that she knew what was right for her, she decided to make the wrong choice.

✓ In spite of the fact that she knew what was right for her, she decided to make the wrong choice.

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