Advertisement

View synonyms for spoil

spoil

[ spoil ]

verb (used with object)

, spoiled or spoilt, spoil·ing.
  1. to damage severely or harm (something), especially with reference to its excellence, value, usefulness, etc.: Drought spoiled the corn crop.

    The water stain spoiled the painting.

    Drought spoiled the corn crop.

    Synonyms: pamper, indulge, coddle, baby, harm, ruin, mar, injure, impair, disfigure, damage

  2. to diminish or impair the quality of; affect detrimentally:

    Bad weather spoiled their vacation.

  3. to impair, damage, or harm the character or nature of (someone) by unwise treatment, excessive indulgence, etc.:

    to spoil a child by pampering him.

  4. Archaic. to strip (persons, places, etc.) of goods, valuables, etc.; plunder; pillage; despoil.
  5. Archaic. to take or seize by force.


verb (used without object)

, spoiled or spoilt, spoil·ing.
  1. to become bad, or unfit for use, as food or other perishable substances; become tainted or putrid:

    Milk spoils if not refrigerated.

  2. to plunder, pillage, or rob.

noun

  1. Often spoils. booty, loot, or plunder taken in war or robbery.
  2. the act of plundering.
  3. an object of plundering.
  4. Usually spoils.
    1. the emoluments and advantages of public office viewed as won by a victorious political party:

      the spoils of office.

    2. prizes won or treasures accumulated:

      a child's spoils brought home from a party.

  5. waste material, as that which is cast up in mining, excavating, quarrying, etc.
  6. an imperfectly made object, damaged during the manufacturing process.

spoil

/ spɔɪl /

verb

  1. tr to cause damage to (something), in regard to its value, beauty, usefulness, etc
  2. tr to weaken the character of (a child) by complying unrestrainedly with its desires
  3. intr (of perishable substances) to become unfit for consumption or use

    the fruit must be eaten before it spoils

  4. intr sport to disrupt the play or style of an opponent, as to prevent him from settling into a rhythm
  5. archaic.
    to strip (a person or place) of (property or goods) by force or violence
  6. be spoiling for
    be spoiling for to have an aggressive desire for (a fight, etc)


noun

  1. waste material thrown up by an excavation
  2. any treasure accumulated by a person

    this gold ring was part of the spoil

  3. obsolete.
    1. the act of plundering
    2. a strategically placed building, city, etc, captured as plunder

Discover More

Other Words From

  • spoil·a·ble adjective
  • spoil·less adjective
  • un·spoil·a·ble adjective

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of spoil1

First recorded in 1300–50; (verb) Middle English spoilen, from Old French espoillier, from Latin spoliāre “to despoil,” equivalent to spoli(um) “booty” + -āre infinitive suffix; (noun) derivative of the verb or from Old French espoille, derivative of espoillier

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of spoil1

C13: from Old French espoillier, from Latin spoliāre to strip, from spolium booty

Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. be spoiling for, Informal. to be very eager for; be desirous of:

    It was obvious that he was spoiling for a fight.

More idioms and phrases containing spoil

  • spare the rod and spoil the child
  • too many cooks spoil the broth
  • to the victor belong the spoils

Discover More

Synonym Study

Spoil, ruin, wreck agree in meaning to reduce the value, quality, usefulness, etc., of anything. Spoil is the general term: to spoil a delicate fabric. Ruin implies doing completely destructive or irreparable injury: to ruin one's health. Wreck implies a violent breaking up or demolition: to wreck oneself with drink; to wreck a building.

Discover More

Example Sentences

It was as though he wanted to have the vast spoils of the world all for himself.

From Vox

When Jones County Confederates tried to steer a corn-filled wagon through the county en route to Mobile, Alabama, Newton and his fellow soldiers opened fire and took the wagon as spoils.

From Ozy

The problem is that the spoils from technology-driven productivity gains have not been shared equally.

Later, laaities in town would cross blocks to crowd into living rooms where we sat in front of the machines of more fortunate sons, garlanded in their spoils and praise as we cracked consoles our parents couldn’t afford.

Connected TVs are streaming more video than ever to people in Europe and Samsung wants a share of the spoils.

From Digiday

Rico Finally Paid: its easy fast money money and im welling to spoil you to def .

Of course I dismissed him for the day, and of course I paid him for the full time, that being the way we spoil our models.

So in episode five—not to spoil anything—Cohle gives one of his metaphysical addresses.

At these wellness retreats, the staff will kick your butt—and then spoil you silly.

There are other ways in which the shutdown can spoil the holiday season – for retailers and workers.

She says she ain't going to spoil her children by sparing rods when our 'upper lot' is full of 'em.

If only we could obtain running powers to Limerick and carry them back to Ireland, we should have secured some of the spoil.

Thy riches and thy treasures I will give unto spoil for nothing, because of all thy sins, even in all thy borders.

A soiled bonnet cap, untidy strings, or torn gloves and collar will utterly spoil the prettiest costume.

They were rowing down the channel of the wider portion of the creek towards Isabel's landing, their boat filled with spoil.

Advertisement

Word of the Day

tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

Meaning and examples

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


Spohrspoilage