despite of (despite)

Short answer: never write "despite of." Use either "despite + noun/gerund/noun phrase" (Despite the rain) or the three-word chunk "in spite of + noun phrase" (In spite of the rain).

Below: a clear rule, quick checks, many ready-to-use wrong/right pairs and rewrites for work, school, and casual contexts, and a few memory tricks to stop the error.

Quick answer

Drop the extra "of." Use: despite + noun/gerund/NP (Despite the delay) or in spite of + NP (In spite of the delay). Do not say "despite of."

"Despite the rain, we went out." - correct.
"In spite of the rain, we went out." - also correct.
"Despite of the rain" - incorrect; remove the "of."

Core grammar: why "despite of" is wrong

"Despite" is a single preposition that takes a noun phrase or gerund as its object. Adding "of" creates an illegal preposition stack: "despite + of + ...".

If you need a phrase that includes "of," use the fixed expression "in spite of" (in + spite + of + NP), which is grammatical as a three-word unit.

Correct: "despite + NP/gerund" - e.g., Despite the delay; despite being tired.
Correct: "in spite of + NP/gerund" - e.g., In spite of the delay.
Incorrect: "despite of + ..." - delete the extra "of" or switch to "in spite of."

Grammar deep dive: forms, commas and positions

"Despite" can appear at the start of a sentence or at the end. Fronted prepositional phrases that modify the whole clause usually take a comma; clause-final phrases usually don't.

When attaching a full clause after "despite," use "despite the fact that + clause" or choose "although + clause" for a simpler option.

Fronted: Despite the budget shortfall, the project continued. (comma)
End position: The project continued despite the budget shortfall. (no comma)
Gerund object: Despite feeling unwell, he finished the report.
Full clause: Despite the fact that we tried, we couldn't fix the bug. (formal)

Real usage: when to pick "despite" or "in spite of"

Both forms mean the same. "Despite" is shorter and suits concise or formal writing. "In spite of" can sound slightly more emphatic or conversational.

Choose "despite" for tight prose; use "in spite of" when you want rhythm or emphasis. Either is acceptable in casual contexts.

Prefer "despite" in business and academic writing: Despite strong objections, the board approved the plan.
Use "in spite of" for emphasis or a particular rhythm: In spite of limited data, the study offers useful insights.
Both work in conversation: Despite being exhausted, I went to the concert.

Examples you can copy: grouped wrong/right pairs

Each wrong sentence shows the typical "despite of" error. The correct versions that follow are ready to paste or adapt. After the pairs, see three alternative rewrites that shift tone or structure.

Work_wrong: Despite of the budget cuts, the team met the quarterly goals.
Work_right: Despite the budget cuts, the team met the quarterly goals.
Work_wrong: We launched the pilot despite of incomplete testing.
Work_right: We launched the pilot despite incomplete testing.
Work_wrong: Despite of the client's request, the deliverable was delayed.
Work_right: Despite the client's request, the deliverable was delayed.
School_wrong: Despite of the professor's comments, I left the paragraph unchanged.
School_right: Despite the professor's comments, I left the paragraph unchanged.
School_wrong: She solved the problem despite of having little background in the topic.
School_right: She solved the problem despite having little background in the topic.
School_wrong: Despite of the low attendance, the lecture covered the main ideas.
School_right: Despite the low attendance, the lecture covered the main ideas.
Casual_wrong: Despite of the cold, we walked along the river.
Casual_right: Despite the cold, we walked along the river.
Casual_wrong: I enjoyed the concert despite of the terrible sound.
Casual_right: I enjoyed the concert despite the terrible sound.
Casual_wrong: Despite of being hungry, he refused the snack.
Casual_right: Despite being hungry, he refused the snack.
Rewrite_example_1: Original: Despite of the budget constraints, we expanded the program. → Rewrite (formal): Despite budget constraints, we expanded the program.
Rewrite_example_2: Original: Despite of the teacher's feedback, the essay stayed the same. → Rewrite (alternate): In spite of the teacher's feedback, the essay stayed the same.
Rewrite_example_3: Original: Despite of the delay, customers were satisfied. → Rewrite (clarity): Although there was a delay, customers were satisfied.

Try your own sentence

Test the whole sentence rather than the fragment. Often context makes the right phrasing obvious.

How to fix your sentence: a short checklist + quick templates

Follow this quick routine whenever you see "despite of." If it still feels heavy, try one of the templates below.

Step 1: Delete the extra "of": change "despite of X" → "despite X."
Step 2: Read the sentence aloud. If it sounds heavy, swap to "in spite of X."
Step 3: If the phrase starts the sentence and modifies the whole clause, add a comma.
Step 4: For full clauses, use "despite the fact that + clause" or switch to "although + clause."

Template_work: Despite + [noun phrase], + [main clause]. Example: Despite limited resources, the team delivered results.
Template_school: Although + [clause], + [result]. Example: Although the sample size was small, the trend is clear.
Template_casual: Despite + [verb-ing], + [short clause]. Example: Despite feeling sick, I went to the party.

Memory tricks and quick spotting tests

Short, repeatable tests make the error obvious and fixable in seconds.

Substitution test: Replace "despite" with "although." If the sentence works without "of," delete the "of."
Chunk test: Remember the three-word unit "in spite of." If you're not using that chunk, don't add "of."
Sticky-note trick: Put "despite = 1 word (no of)" near your keyboard for a week.

Test1: "Despite of being late" → substitution: "Although being late" (works) → drop the "of": "Despite being late."
Test2: If you want emphasis, use the chunk: "In spite of being late, she still spoke."

Similar mistakes to watch for

Learners often add redundant prepositions or mix prepositions with conjunctions. The fixes are short edits.

"Instead of of" - wrong. Correct: "instead of X."
"Although of" - wrong. Use "although + clause" or "in spite of + NP."
"Despite of the fact that" - wrong. Correct: "despite the fact that + clause" or "although + clause."

Wrong: Instead of of calling, he texted.
Right: Instead of calling, he texted.
Wrong: Although of the rain, we continued.
Right: Despite the rain, we continued.

Hyphenation and spacing notes

'Despite' never takes a hyphen. Hyphens belong to compound modifiers before a noun (e.g., rain-soaked field), not to prepositional phrases that begin with 'despite.'

Use one space between words and one space after commas. The primary error to avoid here is the extra 'of'-clear spacing complements correct wording.

Never write: Despite-the-rain or despite-the rain.
Correct hyphenation: a rain-soaked field (compound adjective before a noun).
Spacing: one space after commas; don't insert extra spaces to "fix" grammar.

Example: Correct: Despite the rain-soaked field, the match continued.
Formatting mistake: "Despite of the rain" - remove the extra "of" and any stray spaces.

FAQ

Is "despite of" ever correct?

No. "Despite of" is not standard English. Use "despite + NP" or "in spite of + NP."

Can I use "despite" before a clause?

Yes: use "despite the fact that + clause" or choose "although + clause" for a simpler construction. Never add an extra "of."

Do I need a comma after a fronted "despite" phrase?

Yes, when the fronted phrase modifies the whole sentence: "Despite the rain, we left." Clause-final phrases usually don't need a comma.

Is "despite being tired" correct?

Yes. "Despite" accepts gerunds: "Despite being tired, she finished the exam."

What's the fastest proofreading trick?

Substitute "despite" with "although." If the sentence works without "of," remove the extra "of."

Need a quick check?

Paste a sentence into a grammar checker to flag redundant words like an extra "of." Use the checklist and templates above to produce a clear, ready-to-send sentence.