先來看一下Cambridge Dictionary的解釋
In spite of and despite have a similar meaning to although or even though. They express a contrast between two things. They are both more common in writing than in speaking. Despite is a little more formal than in spite of.
We usually use in spite of and despite with a noun:
We can also use in spite of and despite with -ing:
解釋下：
despite =in spite of 約=although =even though
despite 更正式些，但其實現代英語中差距不大，幾乎可以忽略。
兩者都是作為介詞（短語）使用，所以其後接名詞或者動名詞（都是名詞性）
例子如：
He got the job in spite of his prison record. 雖然他有牢獄記錄，仍然得到工作。
John's company is doing extremely well despite the recession. 雖然經濟衰退，但是公司仍然發展的超級好。
He was very fast in spite of being terribly overweight. 儘管很胖，還是很快。
They arrived late despite leaving in plenty of time. 儘管時間充裕，還是遲到。
附：
althoug/though
來自Cambridge Dictionary的解釋：
Although and though both mean 『in spite of something』. They are subordinating conjunctions. This means that the clause which they introduce is a subordinate clause, which needs a main clause to make it completeThough is more common than although in general and it is much more common than although in speaking. For emphasis, we often use even with though (but not with although).
簡單解釋下：
although/though 都是連詞，其後連接從句，與另一個句子構成主從句，是我們所說的讓步狀語從句；though的使用頻率更高，而且通常使用時習慣跟even一起，用作even though
Even though I learn a lot of money every month, I never seem to have any to spare!
I still feel hungry even though I had a big lunch.
在使用時，注意位置，放在句首時，需要逗號隔開主從句；放在句中時不需要逗號隔開。
以上，引用Cambridge Dictionary的原英表述，是希望讀者能夠習慣英文釋義，培養英語思維。如果同學求快，可以直接看highlight的我的簡單解釋。