killjoy

noun

ˈkil-ˌjȯi How to pronounce killjoy (audio)
Definition of killjoynext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of killjoy Stay a while Another eclipse killjoy? — Maya Silver, Outside, 21 Oct. 2025 Nauseatingly innocent and a self-righteous killjoy, April seems to have existed solely for the purpose of making everyone else on Grey's Anatomy look worlds more interesting. — Marc Snetiker, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Oct. 2025 The Civil War, which is jeopardizing his presidency, has turned him into an utter killjoy. — Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025 Without being a complete spoiler-lobbing killjoy, this is a story heavily marinated in trauma, with an emphasis on two parties’ checkered past in particular. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for killjoy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for killjoy
  1. spoilsport
  2. cynic
  3. drag
  4. complainer
  5. bore
  6. grinch
  7. crab
Noun
  • The first thing Sweetpea does, after ditching her spoilsport colleague at the hotel, is pay a visit to SwiftGC, a payment processor recently acquired by Tender.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Granted, this might simply be an old-fashioned spoilsport way to view the market.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2026
Definition of spoilsport
Noun
  • But should cynics in the industry be tapping the brakes a little, to make sure everybody believes Dean is all that, before giving her an official coronation?
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 17 July 2026
  • But weddings also bring out the cynics, and there are a lot of people who cannot be swayed by a wedding.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 16 July 2026
Definition of cynic
Noun
  • American flags line the downtown drag of this old mill town on Maine’s southern coast, just half an hour from Portland.
    — Carine Hajjar, Washington Post, 21 July 2026
  • This, in turn, significantly reduces drag and slashes fuel consumption.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 21 July 2026
Definition of drag
Noun
  • Are they deluded into thinking that the complainers are just a squeaky wheel minority and the majority of fans are happy with it?
    — Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 13 July 2026
  • Instead of pushing through pain and not speaking up for fear they'll be labeled weak or a complainer, this generation is more inclined to listen to their bodies, advocate for themselves, and address the issue through the proper resources.
    — Sarah Scott, Parents, 10 June 2026
Definition of complainer
Noun
  • As rain drizzled and the humidity bore down, the president peered at blueprints for the public golf course, before driving to his own course in Virginia via the Arlington Memorial Bridge, near where his Triumphal Arch may soon be built.
    — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 3 July 2026
  • Breaking it down by item type, 80 percent of scarves 54 percent of tops, 25 percent of baby clothing, 13 percent of activewear and 14 percent of sleep wear bore inaccurate labels.
    — Jennifer Bringle, Footwear News, 25 June 2026
Definition of bore
Noun
  • The nonprofit donated almost $200,000 to the church for the materials a grinch stole.
    — Dawn White, CBS News, 10 Dec. 2025
  • To play off the flavor of the candy, the grinch-green dough has a subtle cinnamon flavor of its own.
    — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 30 Nov. 2025
Definition of grinch
Noun
  • The brunch menu ranges from a breakfast salpicao burger (made with ground wagyu and ribeye, drenched in a rich bone marrow sauce) to a crab omelette with an aromatic coconut sauce.
    — Emma Jacobson, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 July 2026
  • Much of the pushback against further regulations has come from the lobster and crab industries in New England states such as Maine and Massachusetts.
    — Patrick Whittle, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
Definition of crab

Browse Nearby Words

killing time
killjoy
killjoys
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Cite this Entry

“Killjoy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/killjoy. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of killjoy for Spanish Speakers

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