spoil
1 of 2verb
ˈspȯi(-ə)l 
spoiled ˈspȯi(-ə)ld ; spoiling
ˈspȯi(-ə)lt
or chiefly British spoilt ˈspȯi(-ə)lt ; spoiling transitive verb
1
a
: to damage seriously : ruin
b
: to impair the quality or effect of
a quarrel spoiled the celebration
2
a
: to impair the disposition or character of by overindulgence or excessive praise
b
: to pamper excessively : coddle
3
a
: pillage, rob
b
archaic : despoil, strip
4
archaic : to seize by force
intransitive verb
1
: to lose valuable or useful qualities usually as a result of decay
the fruit spoiled
2
: to have an eager desire
spoiling for a fight
3
: to practice plunder and robbery
spoilable
ˈspȯi-lə-bəl
adjective spoil
2 of 2noun
1
a
: plunder taken from an enemy in war or from a victim in robbery : loot
b
: something valuable or desirable gained through special effort or opportunism or in return for a favor —usually used in plural
c
: public offices made the property of a successful party —usually used in plural
2
a
: spoliation, plundering
b
: the act of damaging : harm, impairment
3
: an object of plundering : prey
4
: earth and rock excavated or dredged
5
: an object damaged or flawed in the making
Synonyms
Verb
- blemish
- darken
- mar
- poison
- stain
- taint
- tarnish
- touch
- vitiate
Noun
- booty
- loot
- pillage
- plunder
- swag
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb The fight spoiled the party. The camping trip was spoiled by bad weather. Don't let one mistake spoil your day. Don't spoil your appetite by snacking too much. Exposure to air will spoil the wine. I spoiled the sauce by adding too much garlic. The milk was beginning to spoil. The hotel spoils their guests with fine dining and excellent service. She always spoils me on my birthday. You should spoil yourself with a day at the spa. Noun the bandits escaped with their lives but not with the spoils See More
Recent Examples on the Web
WIRED, 15 Sep. 2022 In other words, there’s a chance Carolina can spoil the good feelings. Tom Canavan, Hartford Courant, 12 Sep. 2022 Additionally, Faulkner was happy to spoil a big company secret. Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, 9 Sep. 2022 The Bruins made the return trip to Tuscaloosa the following season and won 20-17 at Bryant-Denny Stadium to spoil the debut of head coach Dennis Franchione. Creg Stephenson | Cstephenson@al.com, al, 9 Sep. 2022 Can the rebuilding Seahawks, behind QB Geno Smith, pull off an upset at home and spoil Wilson's coming-home party? Richard Morin, USA TODAY, 8 Sep. 2022 According to sources, some of the highest-profile leaks over the past year were not the result of a VFX artist intentionally sharing something online in an insidious attempt to spoil a movie. Carolyn Giardina, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Sep. 2022 However, the design overall is fairly sleek and simple, with no obtrusive branding to spoil the look of your home. Tanya Edwards, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2022 After nine third-down conversions, and 183 rushing yards from DeWayne McBride, UAB piled up 31 points to spoil BYU’s 10-win season. Kevin Reynolds, The Salt Lake Tribune, 29 Aug. 2022 Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 2 Sep. 2022 Please, nobody spoil Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness star Elizabeth Olsen on … Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Brendan Morrow, The Week, 30 June 2022 Can Trae Young spoil that plan and pull a game back for the ATL? oregonlive, 22 Apr. 2022 Not only are algae and zooplankton affected, but now apex predators such as killer whales are moving into areas once locked away by ice — gaining unfettered access to a spoil of riches. Susanne Rust, Anchorage Daily News, 26 Dec. 2021 An Oakland couple’s anniverary trip to Europe shows how COVID still has the power to upend plans and spoil vacations. Rita Beamish, San Francisco Chronicle, 1 June 2022 Over the years the enormous, elaborate wooden altarpiece had been hastily disassembled and transported to safety, claimed as a spoil of war, tossed aside and left to rot. Joshua Hammer, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 May 2022 Not only are algae and zooplankton affected, but now apex predators such as killer whales are moving into areas once locked away by ice — gaining unfettered access to a spoil of riches. Susanne Rust, Anchorage Daily News, 26 Dec. 2021 Clouds and rain spoil today’s mild air, while tomorrow is foul as the rain persists and cold air comes barreling in. Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2022 See More
Verb
In addition to producing more of this compound, the snapdragon genes seem to have another beneficial effect: The tomatoes don’t soften and spoil as quickly as others. WIRED, 15 Sep. 2022 In other words, there’s a chance Carolina can spoil the good feelings. Tom Canavan, Hartford Courant, 12 Sep. 2022 Additionally, Faulkner was happy to spoil a big company secret. Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, 9 Sep. 2022 The Bruins made the return trip to Tuscaloosa the following season and won 20-17 at Bryant-Denny Stadium to spoil the debut of head coach Dennis Franchione. Creg Stephenson | Cstephenson@al.com, al, 9 Sep. 2022 Can the rebuilding Seahawks, behind QB Geno Smith, pull off an upset at home and spoil Wilson's coming-home party? Richard Morin, USA TODAY, 8 Sep. 2022 According to sources, some of the highest-profile leaks over the past year were not the result of a VFX artist intentionally sharing something online in an insidious attempt to spoil a movie. Carolyn Giardina, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Sep. 2022 However, the design overall is fairly sleek and simple, with no obtrusive branding to spoil the look of your home. Tanya Edwards, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2022 After nine third-down conversions, and 183 rushing yards from DeWayne McBride, UAB piled up 31 points to spoil BYU’s 10-win season. Kevin Reynolds, The Salt Lake Tribune, 29 Aug. 2022 Noun
New York, after initial opposition, agreed previously on the establishment of dredge spoil disposal sites in the western and central Sound. Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 2 Sep. 2022 Please, nobody spoil Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness star Elizabeth Olsen on … Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Brendan Morrow, The Week, 30 June 2022 Can Trae Young spoil that plan and pull a game back for the ATL? oregonlive, 22 Apr. 2022 Not only are algae and zooplankton affected, but now apex predators such as killer whales are moving into areas once locked away by ice — gaining unfettered access to a spoil of riches. Susanne Rust, Anchorage Daily News, 26 Dec. 2021 An Oakland couple’s anniverary trip to Europe shows how COVID still has the power to upend plans and spoil vacations. Rita Beamish, San Francisco Chronicle, 1 June 2022 Over the years the enormous, elaborate wooden altarpiece had been hastily disassembled and transported to safety, claimed as a spoil of war, tossed aside and left to rot. Joshua Hammer, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 May 2022 Not only are algae and zooplankton affected, but now apex predators such as killer whales are moving into areas once locked away by ice — gaining unfettered access to a spoil of riches. Susanne Rust, Anchorage Daily News, 26 Dec. 2021 Clouds and rain spoil today’s mild air, while tomorrow is foul as the rain persists and cold air comes barreling in. Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, from Anglo-French espuiller, espoiller, from Latin spoliare to strip of natural covering, despoil, from spolium skin, hide — more at spill entry 1
Noun
Middle English spoile, from Anglo-French espuille, from espuiller
First Known Use
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3b
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Kids Definition
spoil 1 of 2
verb
ˈspȯil
spoiled
ˈspȯild
or spoilt ˈspȯilt
; spoiling 1
: to damage the character of by allowing too many things or not correcting bad behavior
Grandparents sometimes spoil a child.
2
: to damage badly : ruin
Frost spoiled the crop.
3
: to damage the quality or effect of
A quarrel spoiled the celebration.
4
: to decay or lose freshness, value, or usefulness by being kept too long
The milk spoiled.
spoil
2 of 2noun
: stolen goods : plunder
spoil 1 of 2
noun
as in plunder
valuables stolen or taken by force the bandits escaped with their lives but not with the spoils Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- plunder
- loot
- treasure
- pillage
- booty
- prize
- catch
- take
- haul
- swag
- windfall
- pilferage
spoil
2 of 2verb
1
as in to mar
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable too much coddling will spoil the child Synonyms & Similar Words
- mar
- taint
- poison
- stain
- darken
- tarnish
- degrade
- touch
- vitiate
- discredit
- distort
- pollute
- blemish
- sully
- smear
- besmirch
- blacken
- corrupt
- dirty
- shame
- disgrace
- soil
- discolor
- cheapen
- dishonor
- demean
- subvert
- blur
- debase
- smut
- tar
- smudge
- pervert
- sink
- demoralize
- foul
- cloud
- twist
- debauch
- besmear
- smirch
- deprave
- lower
- abase
- bastardize
- begrime
- color
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- purify
- cleanse
- elevate
- glorify
- uplift
- magnify
- dignify
- ennoble
- enshrine
- hallow
2
as in to rot
to go through decomposition the meat has spoiled Synonyms & Similar Words
- rot
- disintegrate
- decompose
- decay
- fester
- corrupt
- perish
- deteriorate
- mold
- foul
- contaminate
- fall apart
- putrefy
- pollute
- sour
- crumble
- descend
- molder
- taint
- turn
- run to seed
- break down
- defile
- rust
- ferment
- mortify
- go to seed
- curdle
- degenerate
- sink
- addle
- turn off
- dilapidate
- wither
- decline
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- grow
- ripen
- develop
- mature
- restore
- improve
- refresh
- renew
- purify
- cleanse
- age
- better
- integrate
- ameliorate
- assemble
- compose
- meliorate
3
as in to damage
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of know when to stop, for an unnecessary brushstroke can spoil a painted portrait Synonyms & Similar Words
- mar
- damage
- injure
- hurt
- cripple
- compromise
- weaken
- impair
- harm
- erode
- ruin
- break
- destroy
- disfigure
- vitiate
- bloody
- flaw
- undermine
- deface
- blemish
- crab
- deteriorate
- shatter
- wound
- endamage
- cross (up)
- batter
- tarnish
- wreck
- demolish
- blight
- scour
- devastate
- dent
- enervate
- dint
- waste
- wash out
- botch
- enfeeble
- torture
- maim
- ding
- smash
- torment
- decimate
- total
- mutilate
- disable
- annihilate
- lacerate
- queer
- crush
- lame
- mangle
- desolate
- clobber
- pulverize
- wipe out
- bash
- tear down
- bang up
- raze
- wear (away)
- scourge
- hamstring
- dash
- gum (up)
- do in
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- help
- reconstruct
- repair
- fix
- rebuild
- patch
- renovate
- cure
- revamp
- rectify
- heal
- mend
- remedy
- improve
- rehabilitate
- enhance
- better
- perfect
- enrich
- revise
- recondition
- edit
- remodel
- ameliorate
- doctor
- refine
- meliorate
4
as in to indulge
to treat with great or excessive care when they were newlyweds, the wife tended to spoil her husband, but she soon got over that Synonyms & Similar Words
- indulge
- pamper
- please
- delight
- baby
- coddle
- mollycoddle
- cosset
- mother
- appease
- satisfy
- nurse
- dandle
- cocker
- humor
- gladden
- content
- gratify
- soothe
- oblige
- wet-nurse
- placate
- mollify
- pacify
- cater (to)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- restrain
- mistreat
- control
- manhandle
- abuse
- misuse
- oppress
- maltreat
- neglect
- mishandle
- overlook
- hurt
- slight
- violate
- discipline
- ill-treat
- harm
- injure
- molest
- ill-use
- harass
- oppress
- torment
- victimize
- persecute
- outrage
- torture
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of spoil are booty, loot, plunder, prize, and spoils. While all these words mean "something taken from another by force or craft," spoil, more commonly spoils, applies to what belongs by right or custom to the victor in war or political contest.
the spoils of political victory
Although the words booty and spoil have much in common, booty implies plunder to be shared among confederates.
thieves dividing up their booty
The words loot and spoil are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, loot applies especially to what is taken from victims of a catastrophe.
picked through the ruins for loot
The synonyms plunder and spoil are sometimes interchangeable, but plunder applies to what is taken not only in war but in robbery, banditry, grafting, or swindling.
a bootlegger's plunder
While in some cases nearly identical to spoil, prize applies to spoils captured on the high seas or territorial waters of the enemy.
the wartime right of seizing prizes at sea