killjoy

American  

[kil-joi] / ˈkɪlˌdʒɔɪ /

Or kill-joy

noun

1. a person who spoils the joy or pleasure of others; spoilsport.

   I don't want to be a killjoy, but there is too much emphasis on booze during the holiday season.

---

killjoy British  

/ ˈkɪlˌdʒɔɪ /

noun

1. a person who spoils other people's pleasure

---

Etymology

Origin of killjoy

First recorded in 1770–80

Explanation

A killjoy is a person who spoils all the fun for everybody. You may be a killjoy if everyone’s enjoying their meal at a restaurant and you complain constantly about the terrible service. The first instance of the word killjoy was recorded in 1776, and its meaning kind of makes sense: a killjoy kills everyone else's joy. There are some other great old-style slang phrases to describe the person who pops your balloon or rains on your parade. The most popular among them are "party pooper," "wet blanket," and "stick in the mud."

Example Sentences

A renowned feminist, she depicted and celebrated the condition of African women in works such as The Dilemma of a Ghost, Our Sister Killjoy and Changes.

From BBC • May 31, 2023

One of these characters, Killjoy, briefly ended up in hot water on social media after accidentally providing some acclaim to a NFT artist.

From The Verge • Feb. 4, 2022

A: Killjoy, shmilljoy — I call ’em like I see ’em.

From Washington Post • May 14, 2017

Does that Killjoy Pirate Lady costume come in my size?

From New York Times • Oct. 16, 2010

Killjoy style manuals tell writers to avoid alliteration, but good prose is enlivened with moments of poetry, like this line with its pleasing meter and its impish pairing of marital and medical.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker