spoil

[ spoil ]

/ spɔɪl /

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See synonyms for: spoil / spoiled / spoiling / spoils on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), spoiled or spoilt, spoil·ing.

to damage severely or harm (something), especially with reference to its excellence, value, usefulness, etc.: The water stain spoiled the painting.Drought spoiled the corn crop.

to diminish or impair the quality of; affect detrimentally: Bad weather spoiled their vacation.

to impair, damage, or harm the character or nature of (someone) by unwise treatment, excessive indulgence, etc.: to spoil a child by pampering him.

Archaic. to strip (persons, places, etc.) of goods, valuables, etc.; plunder; pillage; despoil.

Archaic. to take or seize by force.

verb (used without object), spoiled or spoilt, spoil·ing.

to become bad, or unfit for use, as food or other perishable substances; become tainted or putrid: Milk spoils if not refrigerated.

to plunder, pillage, or rob.

noun

Often spoils. booty, loot, or plunder taken in war or robbery.

the act of plundering.

an object of plundering.

Usually spoils.

the emoluments and advantages of public office viewed as won by a victorious political party: the spoils of office.
prizes won or treasures accumulated: a child's spoils brought home from a party.

waste material, as that which is cast up in mining, excavating, quarrying, etc.

an imperfectly made object, damaged during the manufacturing process.

OTHER WORDS FOR spoil

1 damage, disfigure, impair, injure, mar, ruin; harm.

3 baby, coddle, indulge, pamper.

See synonyms for spoil on Thesaurus.com

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Idioms about spoil

be spoiling for, Informal. to be very eager for; be desirous of: It was obvious that he was spoiling for a fight.

Origin of spoil

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

synonym study for spoil

1. 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.

OTHER WORDS FROM spoil

spoil·a·ble, adjectivespoil·less, adjectiveun·spoil·a·ble, adjective

Words nearby spoil

spod, Spode, spodosol, spodumene, Spohr, spoil, spoilage, spoil bank, spoiled, spoiled priest, spoiler

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use spoil in a sentence

It was as though he wanted to have the vast spoils of the world all for himself.
The tangled history behind David Fincher’s Mank — and its link to Citizen Kane — explained|Alissa Wilkinson|December 4, 2020|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.
These Pioneers Tried to Get the Confederate Flag Out of Mississippi 156 Years Ago|Fiona Zublin|December 3, 2020|Ozy
The problem is that the spoils from technology-driven productivity gains have not been shared equally.
MIT Report: Robots Aren’t the Biggest Threat to the Future of Work—Policy Is|Edd Gent|November 23, 2020|Singularity Hub
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.
Fiction: Quiet earth philosophy|Katie McLean|October 21, 2020|MIT Technology Review

Connected TVs are streaming more video than ever to people in Europe and Samsung wants a share of the spoils.
‘We want to be as frictionless as possible’: Samsung ramps up its pitch to advertisers across Europe|Seb Joseph|October 15, 2020|Digiday
Rico Finally Paid: its easy fast money money and im welling to spoil you to def .
The Sex-Trafficking Kings of Facebook|Michael Daly|May 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
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.
Read ‘The King in Yellow,’ the ‘True Detective’ Reference That’s the Key to the Show|Robert W. Chambers|February 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So in episode five—not to spoil anything—Cohle gives one of his metaphysical addresses.
Inside the Obsessive, Strange Mind of True Detective’s Nic Pizzolatto|Andrew Romano|February 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At these wellness retreats, the staff will kick your butt—and then spoil you silly.
Best Luxury Boot Camps to Get Fit in 2014|Lonely Planet|December 31, 2013|DAILY BEAST
There are other ways in which the shutdown can spoil the holiday season – for retailers and workers.
The Shutdown that Stole Christmas?|Daniel Gross|October 11, 2013|DAILY BEAST
She says she ain't going to spoil her children by sparing rods when our 'upper lot' is full of 'em.
Dorothy at Skyrie|Evelyn Raymond
If only we could obtain running powers to Limerick and carry them back to Ireland, we should have secured some of the spoil.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland|Joseph Tatlow
Thy riches and thy treasures I will give unto spoil for nothing, because of all thy sins, even in all thy borders.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
A soiled bonnet cap, untidy strings, or torn gloves and collar will utterly spoil the prettiest costume.
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness|Florence Hartley
They were rowing down the channel of the wider portion of the creek towards Isabel's landing, their boat filled with spoil.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton

British Dictionary definitions for spoil

spoil

/ (spɔɪl) /

verb spoils, spoiling, spoilt or spoiled

(tr) to cause damage to (something), in regard to its value, beauty, usefulness, etc

(tr) to weaken the character of (a child) by complying unrestrainedly with its desires

(intr) (of perishable substances) to become unfit for consumption or usethe fruit must be eaten before it spoils

(intr) sport to disrupt the play or style of an opponent, as to prevent him from settling into a rhythm

archaic to strip (a person or place) of (property or goods) by force or violence

be spoiling for to have an aggressive desire for (a fight, etc)

noun

waste material thrown up by an excavation

any treasure accumulated by a personthis gold ring was part of the spoil

obsolete

the act of plundering
a strategically placed building, city, etc, captured as plunder

Word Origin for spoil

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with spoil

spoil

In addition to the idioms beginning with spoil

spoil for

also see:

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

spoil

OTHER WORDS FOR spoil

Idioms about spoil

Origin of spoil

synonym study for spoil

OTHER WORDS FROM spoil

Words nearby spoil

Words related to spoil

How to use spoil in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for spoil

Word Origin for spoil

Other Idioms and Phrases with spoil