spoil
verb (used with object)
to damage severely or harm (something), especially with reference to its excellence, value, usefulness, etc.: Drought spoiled the corn crop.
were spoiling
-
past progressiveof spoil.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
In fact, he originally had even more new spaces in the intro, but Stiller told him they were spoiling too much.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 23, 2025
Those guys clearly were spoiling for a fight.
From Slate ● Mar. 10, 2022
The hard-fighting youths, who participated in airborne operations in Normandy and Holland, were spoiling for action and they found it here.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 21, 2020
It’s fair to say that most us were spoiling for a fight.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 2, 2019
“I fell. Donte helped me up. The others were spoiling for a fight.”
From "Black Brother, Black Brother" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
