as in spoilsport
a person who spoils the pleasure of others
his perpetually negative attitude made him a real killjoy when others were trying to have fun
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of killjoy
That’s when a try-hard, killjoy Kansas senator, Bob Dole, convinced congressional colleagues to get serious about taxing tipped workers.
—
Joseph Thorndike, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Anybody who asks for more from this new production, therefore, or who points out what is missing, risks the charge of being the merest killjoy.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2025
Within the dog-button community, Horowitz is regarded as a killjoy.
—Camille Bromley Gabra Zackman Krish Seenivasan David Mason, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2025
Esther is the original feminist killjoy — acerbic, brilliant, obsessive, confrontational, deeply relatable.
—Jillian Eugenios, NBC News, 29 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for killjoy
Joseph Thorndike, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Anybody who asks for more from this new production, therefore, or who points out what is missing, risks the charge of being the merest killjoy.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2025
Within the dog-button community, Horowitz is regarded as a killjoy.
—Camille Bromley Gabra Zackman Krish Seenivasan David Mason, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2025
Esther is the original feminist killjoy — acerbic, brilliant, obsessive, confrontational, deeply relatable.
—Jillian Eugenios, NBC News, 29 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for killjoy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for killjoy
Noun
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Suddenly, the Republicans were the spoilsports who couldn’t take the joke, a position stereotypically held by politically correct liberals.—
Rebecca Jennings,
Vox,
9 Aug. 2024
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Millennial workers are increasingly becoming the office spoilsports, with young people increasingly likely to be in it for the money rather than for fun, as years of economic turmoil force them to keep their heads down, collect their monthly paychecks, and fight for a promotion.—
BYRyan Hogg,
Fortune Europe,
26 June 2024
Noun
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Those cynics contend the front office might as well spend that money on other position groups.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2025
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In fact, cynics do worse on cognitive tests and have a harder time spotting liars than non-cynics.—
Jamil Zaki,
TIME,
3 Sep. 2024
Noun
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Speaking of stars, has your father done drag since his makeover?—
Joey Nolfi,
EW.com,
19 Apr. 2025
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The sudden heating of the atmosphere when a CME hits thickens the gas around Earth, increasing the drag facing satellites in low Earth orbits.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Final bore Sports fans who come to March Madness looking for a Cinderella story will have to wait until next year.—
Jacob Pramuk,
CNBC,
31 Mar. 2025
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Important information is still missing, including bore, stroke, displacement, and peak power.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Tired of looking like the grinch (can't help the hair).—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
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Tired of looking like the grinch (can't help the hair).—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Officials also asked people to report sightings of the crab to the department, along with photos and locations.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr.,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
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In October, whale watchers found Check entangled in lines and buoys from a Dungeness crab trap off the coast of Monterey, officials said.—
Paloma Chavez,
Sacbee.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Killjoy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/killjoy. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
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