Showing results for "spoiled"

• past tense form of spoil.
• past participle of spoil.

spoiled

American  

[spoild] / spɔɪld /

adjective

1. (of a person, especially a child) indulged excessively or pampered, with a harmful effect on character.

   Her grandfather is a rough, no-nonsense farmer with little patience for a spoiled kid from the city.

2. (of food) having become bad or unfit for use; tainted, rancid, or soured.

   Eating spoiled fish causes symptoms that closely resemble an allergic reaction.

3. severely damaged or harmed, especially in a way that reduces value, usefulness, excellence, enjoyment, etc.; marred or ruined.

   His new book, Fly Fishing Tips for the Desperate, can help turn a spoiled fishing trip into a successful one.

4. (of a ballot) disqualified by being marked in an improper way or otherwise marred or defaced.

   If you make a mistake on your absentee ballot, return it to the auditor with "spoiled ballot” on the envelope and request a replacement.

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verb

1. a simple past tense and past participle of spoil.

Other Word Forms

• unspoiled
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of spoiled

spoil ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

When a person is spoiled, they're damaged by having been given everything they want. Spoiled people are usually pretty rotten. When food is spoiled, it's also rotten—literally. Spoiled things and spoiled people are both fairly unpleasant. A spoiled child typically whines for something and gets it, becoming used to that kind of over-indulgent treatment. Spoiled milk smells terrible and tastes even worse. This adjective comes from the verb spoil, meaning "ruin" or "destroy"; the idea was that giving in to a child's every whim would ruin him.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

spoiled

David Matias Rodriguez, an 82-year-old retiree, said he was worried the few things in his refrigerator would be spoiled.

From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026

And then I got a little verklempt: We have never been this spoiled for choice.

From Salon ● Jun. 27, 2026

These meanings haven’t been conveyed to the consumer, who, in their confusion, may unintentionally contribute to food waste by disposing of food they believe is spoiled.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026

Alice Lockey is lady’s maid to the earl’s daughter, the spoiled, indolent and surprisingly grubby Lady Jemima Alderwick.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

Yishan was shouting like a spoiled child, and he moved as if to climb over the railing to dive into the water.

From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin

Related Words

• rotten