1
as in to taint
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
too much coddling will spoil the child
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to decompose
to go through decomposition
the meat has spoiled
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to damage
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
know when to stop, for an unnecessary brushstroke can spoil a painted portrait
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to indulge
to treat with great or excessive care
when they were newlyweds, the wife tended to spoil her husband, but she soon got over that
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spoil
Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025
The nonprofit also pledged to assist villagers without power or running water, especially those whose food has spoiled at the start of the winter season.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
Katherine Polcari, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2025
Many middle-income consumers own homes and have shared the spoils from rising property values, Zandi said.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spoil
Verb
Stay At The Inn At Bald Head Island Let owners and innkeepers Gail and Dann Jackson spoil you with hospitality at this charming bed and breakfast located in Harbor Village.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025
The nonprofit also pledged to assist villagers without power or running water, especially those whose food has spoiled at the start of the winter season.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
This dish will stay good for up to a month in the fridge, but good luck holding on to a jar for that long without eating all its spoils first.
—Katherine Polcari, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2025
Many middle-income consumers own homes and have shared the spoils from rising property values, Zandi said.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spoil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spoil
Verb
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That means Zaha will be suspended for Game 1 of the playoffs against NYCFC, which tainted an otherwise near-perfect evening for the home team.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
19 Oct. 2025
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In its new filing, Mangione’s defense team expressed concern about tainting the pool of prospective jurors.—
Aaron Katersky,
ABC News,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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According to the study, Igatuia Cavernicola likely plays an important role in its cave ecosystem by eating decomposing organic matter, thereby cycling nutrients and contributing to the habitat’s overall health and function.—
Lauren Liebhaber,
Miami Herald,
17 Oct. 2025
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Use a mulching mower to chop the leaves into small pieces that will decompose quickly and add nutrients to the soil.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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An artillery round fired over Interstate 5 at Sunday’s live-fire demonstration at Camp Pendleton prematurely detonated, striking and damaging a California Highway Patrol vehicle that was part of Vice President JD Vance’s detail, the CHP said Sunday.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Oct. 2025
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Thermal runaway, or self-heating, can occur without warning in lithium batteries as a result of various factors, including if the battery is damaged, overheated, exposed to water, overcharged or improperly packed, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The other people Ye tries to big-foot into indulging his perverse Peter Pan complex fare more poorly.—
Derek Robertson,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Oct. 2025
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Whether that’s indulging Wes Anderson’s imagination (as a three-time member of his ever-growing ensemble) or producing her own projects, Johansson always manages to surprise.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The rebels, apparently satisfied with their loot, paid no mind as the women got into the second car, joining one of the Assad regime’s most notorious henchmen.—
Danny Makki,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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Players can also look forward to haunted map locations, quests and limited-time loot.—
Tiffany Acosta,
AZCentral.com,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Though his career was marked by flashes of brilliance, including another 1,400-yard rushing season in 2015, it was also marred by injuries and off-field challenges.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
20 Oct. 2025
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But the country’s industrial innovation has also been marred by production overcapacity.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Ethan Hawke stars as Lorenz Hart of legendary songsmiths Rodgers & Hart as the prolific partnership disintegrates to his great dismay.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
17 Oct. 2025
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This difference sounds small, but preventing a few tenths of a degree of warming could keep polar ice caps from completely disintegrating, coral reefs from collapsing and other tipping points from triggering.—
Syris Valentine,
Scientific American,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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From January to June, more than 3,100 people were reported killed across Haiti and an additional 1,100 reported injured, according to the United Nations.—
NPR,
NPR,
17 Oct. 2025
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Ten minutes later, Martinelli actually scored after making a good run in behind from the right wing as Saka had gone off injured.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spoil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spoil. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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