All of these are words used to express contrast. While but and though are conjunctions, in spite of and despite are prepositions.

Read the following sentences.

He was ill. Still he went to work.

The meanings of these two sentences can be expressed in a single sentence in the following ways.

He was ill but he went to work.

Though he was ill, he went to work.

In spite of being ill, he went to work.

In spite of his illness, he went to work.

Despite his illness, he went to work.

More examples are given below.

His scores were high. Yet he did not win the scholarship.

These two sentences can be combined into one using one of these words.

His scores were high but he did not win the scholarship.

Though his scores were high, he did not win the scholarship.

In spite of his scores being high, he did not win the scholarship.

In spite of his high scores, he did not win the scholarship.

Despite his high scores, he did not win the scholarship.

Notes

But is a coordinating conjunction. We do not usually begin a sentence with but.

Though is a subordinating conjunction. It usually introduces the reason. Though and its clause can come at the beginning or at the end of a sentence.

Though she didn’t understand a word, she kept smiling.

OR

She kept smiling though she didn’t understand a word.

In spite of is followed by an –ing form or a noun. Despite means the same as in spite of. It is used in a formal style.