despite
/dɪˈspaɪt/(preposition)
AWL Sublist 4CEFR B2IELTS Band 7.0 - 9.0
Academic Definition
Without being affected by; in spite of (used to introduce a contrast).
Key Academic Collocations
Click to copyWord Family & Derivatives
despite
Lexical Alternatives (Synonyms)
notwithstandingin spite ofregardless of
Academic Sample Sentences in Context
"Despite substantial government subsidies, the uptake of domestic solar panels remained sluggish in rural municipalities."
"Domestic air passenger numbers increased by 14% between 2015 and 2019, despite rising aviation fuel surcharges."
"Despite the fact that electric vehicles produce zero tailpipe emissions, their manufacturing footprint remains significant."
IELTS Examiner Scoring Strategy (Lexical Resource)
Grammar rule: 'despite' is followed directly by a noun or gerund ('despite rising costs', NOT 'despite of').