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noun

as in loot
valuables stolen or taken by force the bandits escaped with their lives but not with the spoils

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun spoil differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of spoil are booty, loot, plunder, prize, and spoils. While all these words mean "something taken from another by force or craft," spoil, more commonly spoils, applies to what belongs by right or custom to the victor in war or political contest.

the spoils of political victory

When would booty be a good substitute for spoil?

Although the words booty and spoil have much in common, booty implies plunder to be shared among confederates.

thieves dividing up their booty

When is it sensible to use loot instead of spoil?

The words loot and spoil are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, loot applies especially to what is taken from victims of a catastrophe.

picked through the ruins for loot

When is plunder a more appropriate choice than spoil?

The synonyms plunder and spoil are sometimes interchangeable, but plunder applies to what is taken not only in war but in robbery, banditry, grafting, or swindling.

a bootlegger's plunder

In what contexts can prize take the place of spoil?

While in some cases nearly identical to spoil, prize applies to spoils captured on the high seas or territorial waters of the enemy.

the wartime right of seizing prizes at sea

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 spoil
Verb
The Jets won the game, but one of the most pivotal events in recent NFL history would eventually spoil Rodgers' once-promising tenure with the team. Jim Reineking, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025 Joy Behar may owe Queen Latifah’s grandma one of her famous lasagnas after accidentally spoiling for her that The Equalizer had ended on The View. Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
When stored in oil, fresh herbs retain their flavor—and don’t get wilted, brown, or spoil. Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 30 Aug. 2025 So Wednesday is in one sense part of the spoils of victory, the rewards for beating Manchester United in that famous final. Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spoil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spoil
Verb
  • Rahmani, the former prosecutor, said statements by Patel and other Justice Department officials could raise concerns about tainting the jury pool in a future trial.
    Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Swift and Lively’s long friendship had been a distinct sub-plot in the IEWU legal battles, with tabloid fodder that the duo have fallen out over the controversy adverse Eras Tour performer getting tainted with the whole thing.
    Dominic Patten, Deadline, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • O’Steen bludgeoned Marissa Grimes, dug a shallow grave for her under his house in west Fort Worth and for 10 days lived above where police later sawed open the floor to expose Grimes’ decomposing 135-pound body, prosecutors have argued that the evidence shows.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Two people discovered badly decomposed human remains while doing a walkthrough of a home for sale in Ohio, police told news outlets.
    Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Using abrasive cleaner or products with harsh chemicals can damage the beautiful material and lead to a less-than-pretty tub.
    Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2025
  • But posting on social media leaves a record, and in times of escalating political polarization, those declarations can be seen as damaging to the reputation of an individual or their employer.
    Nino Paoli, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Or indulge with a Steak Plate of grass-fed tri-tip and veggies — or a Mango Goat Cheese or Tri-Tip salad.
    Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The invention of soft serve ice cream around the 1930s really helped stadium goers indulge all that more, opening the opportunity for unique vessels to carry the creation.
    Tim Newcomb, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The new Reclaim activity is lame and the new loot is hard to come by.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Those who didn’t score tickets can console themselves with Oasis Live ‘25 loot like $49 or $56 T-shirts, $49 to $104 hoodies and other memorabilia like $28 tote bags and $56 posters.
    Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 22 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The disruptions come amid a WNBA season in which multiple games were marred by the objects making appearances on the court.
    Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Each death was devastating to relatives and friends left behind, and the first decades of the twentieth century were marred by individual grief on a global scale.
    Alice Vernon September 8, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • These plans disintegrated in the wake of the October 7 Hamas attacks on southern Israel, which killed 1,200 people and resulted in the taking of 251 hostages.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
  • But explaining Dyer’s motivations in the face of a disintegrating family portrayed in & Sons remains a bit of an uphill climb for Nighy.
    Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The severity, healing and availability of Purdy’s toe will depend heavily on which toe is injured and what specific part of the toe got injured.
    Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Almost certainly out this week also is injured receiver Xavier Worthy (shoulder), who provided most of the scant glimmers of hope in the Super Bowl with eight catches for 157 yards and two touchdowns.
    Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 11 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Spoil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spoil. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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