spoil 1 of 2

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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spoil

2 of 2

verb

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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
Noun
The divide underscores a broader truth: not all of Wall Street shares equally in the spoils of volatility. Jack Kelly, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025 Correspondingly, agents have taken their share of the spoils too. Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
However, Cleveland can still spoil a potential playoff run for Washington. cleveland, 17 Dec. 2022 So, who exactly could spoil the Astros' pursuit of a third Commissioner's Trophy? Michael Shapiro, Chron, 12 Dec. 2022 See All Example Sentences for spoil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spoil
Noun
  • A lot of casuals were turned off by the entire extraction shooter concept of losing loot or unbalanced fights.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025
  • Although backpacks can be upgraded to house more loot, most of what’s found will quickly fill up your inventory after just a couple of minutes searching.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2025
Verb
  • About 26,500 of those who consume food tainted by salmonella are hospitalized.
    Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 20 May 2025
  • The role of politics Accusations that human rights advocacy is tainted by domestic politics aren’t new.
    Simon Montlake, Christian Science Monitor, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • The company suggests that AWS Transform can decompose monolithic z/OS COBOL applications into components that can be run in the cloud.
    Adrian Bridgwater, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
  • The smell, an odor like rotten eggs, is the sargassum piles decomposing, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
    Mitchell Willetts, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Driving through deep water can also damage a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 16 May 2025
  • Gary said people who had their homes damaged in the March storms can apply online for federal assistance or meet with state and local officials in person.
    Neal Earley, Arkansas Online, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • Parents can unwind with cocktails poolside or indulge at the spa while little ones immerse themselves in the SoBe Kids Club, designed for ages four to 12.
    Katie Lara, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
  • The Santa Monica pad existed mainly as the ultimate clubhouse, a place where Jimmy and a dozen or so regulars could indulge their obsession with padel.
    David T. Friendly, Air Mail, 10 May 2025
Noun
  • Such tactics included the extraordinary plunder and destruction of the Hundred Years’ War and the fire bombings of cities in World War II.
    Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
  • And two, even for the plunder of a smash and grab, that seems a sloppy hiding place.
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The Mavericks had a season marred by injuries and executed a trade that not only shocked the NBA but also enraged fans.
    Jason Jones, New York Times, 13 May 2025
  • Finding an innovative, sustainable path to parity—without triggering the kind of prolonged labor disputes that have marred the sport’s past—will do far more for the game than any piece of equipment ever could.
    John Cairney, Sportico.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Join 13 others in the comments View Comments Though defunct objects in space routinely fall out of orbit, most pieces of debris disintegrate entirely during the reentry process.
    Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 9 May 2025
  • The altitudes at which satellites disintegrate are too high for meteorological balloons to reach but too low for satellites to sample.
    Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 5 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Spoil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spoil. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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