spoils system

noun

: a practice of regarding public offices and their emoluments as plunder for members of the victorious party

Examples of spoils system in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The federal workforce was initially built in the 19th century more on party loyalty than merit, which eventually triggered a corrupt and ineffective spoils system. — Michael P. Dempsey, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

That law was meant to replace the political spoils system with a workforce of career professionals. — Barbara McQuade, Twin Cities, 19 Feb. 2026

And if the Supreme Court decides to bring us back to the spoils system, Congress should take the next logical step and give the federal judiciary jurisdiction over immigration cases, appointing new federal judges to handle the caseload. — Noah Feldman, Mercury News, 19 Dec. 2025

Finally there’s Arthur, an upwards-failing buffoon caught—like so many of his countrymen, then and now—between Conkling’s spoils system and Garfield’s idealism. — Judy Berman, Time, 28 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for spoils system

• subsystem
• cryptosystem
• ecosystem
• intersystem
• multisystem
• photosystem