spoiler

noun

spoil·​er ˈspȯi-lər 

1

a

: one that spoils

b

: one (such as a political candidate) having little or no chance of winning but capable of depriving a rival of success

2

a

: a long narrow plate along the upper surface of an airplane wing that may be raised for reducing lift and increasing drag see airplane illustration

b

: an air deflector on an automobile to reduce the tendency to lift off the road at high speeds

3

: information about the plot of a movie or TV program that can spoil a viewer's sense of surprise or suspense

also : a person who discloses such information

Examples of spoiler in a Sentence

The review contains a few spoilers, so don't read it if you haven't seen the movie.

Recent Examples on the Web

No spoilers, but things get twisted in this one in ways that are almost impossible to predict. —K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 17 Apr. 2026

These are edited excerpts from the conversation, which includes many spoilers. —Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026

The woman she’s based on is real, a volunteer who — and this is perhaps another spoiler, though one again disclosed elsewhere — married Yarris as the two of them fought to overturn his conviction. —Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2026

This article contains spoilers for Euphoria season 3, episode 1. —Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing spoiler

• spoiler alert

Rhymes for spoiler

• boiler
• broiler
• oiler
• toiler
• reboiler

Kids Definition

spoiler

noun

spoil·​er ˈspȯi-lər 

1

a

: one that spoils

b

: one (as a political candidate) having little or no chance of winning but capable of depriving a rival of success

2

: a device (as on an airplane or automobile) used to disrupt airflow and decrease lift

3

: information about the plot of a book, motion picture, or television program that can spoil a reader's or a viewer's sense of surprise or suspense