spill

1 of 3

verb

ˈspil 

spilled ˈspild  ˈspilt  also spilt ˈspilt  ; spilling

transitive verb

1

: to cause or allow especially accidentally or unintentionally to fall, flow, or run out so as to be lost or wasted

2

a

: to cause (blood) to be lost by wounding

b

archaic : kill, destroy

3

: to let out : divulge

spill a secret

4

a

: to relieve (a sail) from the pressure of the wind so as to reef or furl it

b

: to relieve the pressure of (wind) on a sail by coming about or by adjusting the sail with lines

5

: to throw off or out

a horse spilled him

intransitive verb

1

a

: to flow, run, or fall out, over, or off and become wasted, scattered, or lost

water spilling over the dam

b

: to cause or allow something to spill

2

: to spread profusely or beyond bounds

crowds spilled into the streets

3

: to fall from one's place (as on a horse)

spillable

ˈspi-lə-bəl 

adjective

spiller noun

spill

2 of 3

noun (1)

1

: the act or an instance of spilling

especially : a fall from a horse or vehicle or an erect position

2

: something spilled

spill

3 of 3

noun (2)

1

: a wooden splinter

2

: a small roll or twist of paper or slip of wood for lighting a fire

Phrases

spill one's guts

: to divulge especially personal information

spill the beans

: to divulge secret or hidden information

Synonyms

Verb

• reveal
• disclose
• discover
• tell
• uncover
• expose

Noun (1)

• fall
• tumble
• stumble
• slip
• trip

Examples of spill in a Sentence

Verb

I accidentally spilled coffee all over my new suit.

Clean up the flour you spilled on the floor.

a puddle of spilled water

Water spilled over the dam.

She opened the door and light spilled into the room.

an interviewer who gets celebrities to spill their secrets

Come on, spill it. Who gave you the money?

Noun (1)

she tripped over the toy and had a nasty spill on the stairs

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Altogether, the feeling is commanding and soaring and gives the confidence that you won’t be jostled into spilling your champagne—in the rear seat, with the champagne chiller, of course. —Scotty Reiss, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025

The first molten metal recently glided from one new three-story furnace, oozed down chutes and spilled into 26-foot casting cylinders, deep in the floor of the expansion. —Star Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 July 2025

Noun

Time drips sideways in this fractured hourglass, and color spills like memory. —Rance Collins, IndieWire, 12 July 2025

Use steam inside your refrigerator to loosen stuck on food and spills. —Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English spillan; akin to Old English spildan to destroy and perhaps to Latin spolium animal skin, Greek sphallein to cause to fall

Noun (2)

Middle English spille; akin to Middle Low German spīle thin stick, peg

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2b

Noun (1)

circa 1845, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing spill

• spill out
• spill the T
• spill the tea
• take a spill

Rhymes for spill

• bill
• brill
• chill
• drill
• fil
• fill
• frill
• gill
• grill
• grille
• jill
• kill

Kids Definition

spill

1 of 2 verb

ˈspil 

spilled ˈspild  ˈspilt  also spilt ˈspilt  ; spilling

1

: to cause (blood) to flow by wounding or killing

2

a

: to cause or allow to fall, flow, or run out by accident

spilled some flour on the floor

b

: to fall or run out so as to be lost or wasted

the milk spilled

c

: to spread beyond limits

crowds spilled into the streets

3

: to throw off or out

a horse spilled its rider

4

: to let out : give away

spilled the secret

spillable

ˈspil-ə-bəl 

adjective

spiller noun

spill

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: an act or instance of spilling

b

: a fall from a horse or vehicle

2

: something spilled

cleaning up an oil spill