spoiler
Americannoun
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spoilers
plural
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a person or thing that spoils.
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a person who robs or ravages; despoiler; plunderer.
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Aeronautics. a device used to break up the airflow around an aerodynamic surface, as an aircraft wing, in order to slow the movement through the air or to decrease the lift on the surface and, as a result, provide bank or descent control.
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Automotive. a similar device for changing the airflow past a moving vehicle, often having the form of a transverse fin or blade mounted at the front or rear to reduce lift and increase traction at high speeds.
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Sports. a team out of final contention that defeats a potential or favored contender and thereby thwarts its chances of winning a championship.
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any competitor, entrant, or candidate who has no chance of ultimate victory but does well enough to spoil the chances of another.
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information about a plot or event in a movie, book, or show that may spoil the suspense or surprise.
Spoilers were leaked before the movie was released. Spoiler alert! Do not read further if you haven't already seen the season finale.
noun
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plunderer or robber
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a person or thing that causes spoilage or corruption
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a device fitted to an aircraft wing to increase drag and reduce lift. It is usually extended into the airflow to assist descent and banking Compare air brake
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a similar device fitted to a car
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sport a competitor who adopts spoiling tactics, as in boxing
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a magazine, newspaper, etc produced specifically to coincide with the production of a rival magazine, newspaper, etc in order to divert public interest and reduce its sales
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of spoiler
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But the present and possibly future Green Lanterns were summoned there for a reason best left unsaid here, and in keeping with HBO’s extensive spoiler embargo.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
Oil played the role of spoiler in the stock and bond markets again as inflation concerns returned.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
Leandro Paredes was the spoiler in chief, with Enzo Fernandez his deputy.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
No aliens here — not a spoiler — though I might have liked that ending more than this, which in its own way seems to drop from space.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2026
“Okay. Did you accidentally read a spoiler about Soul Scythe? Bruh, it’s fine. One spoiler won’t ruin the whole book.”
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
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But for those who had avoided spoilers, Risk It All, a slow R&B ballad from Mars' latest album, The Romantic, was perhaps an unexpected opener.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
The following contains major spoilers for the anime "Daemons of the Shadow Realm" through Episode 14, "Family and Friends."
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
This article contains spoilers for “House of the Dragon,” season 3, episode 1.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
This story includes spoilers for “Masters of the Universe.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026
“I’m not giving you any more spoilers, but that’s not what’s bothering me.”
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
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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.