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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spoil
Susan D'arcy,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 June 2026
The rally spoiled the major-league debut of Arizona's José Cabrera.
—
CBS News,
21 June 2026
Ashley Baker,
Air Mail,
6 June 2026
The aesthetic is going to go a lot of different places across Season 8, too, including two episodes in the round and the finale, which Badner wouldn’t dare spoil but is proud of the wonderful collaboration between the production design, camera, and lighting teams.
—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for spoil
Verb
Hunger doesn’t spoil my fun either.
—
Susan D'arcy,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 June 2026
The rally spoiled the major-league debut of Arizona's José Cabrera.
—
CBS News,
21 June 2026
Noun
For chronic house flippers Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, the spoils of Hollywood have long been rivaled by the riches of real estate.
—
Ashley Baker,
Air Mail,
6 June 2026
The aesthetic is going to go a lot of different places across Season 8, too, including two episodes in the round and the finale, which Badner wouldn’t dare spoil but is proud of the wonderful collaboration between the production design, camera, and lighting teams.
—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for spoil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spoil
Verb
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District Court Judge Tony Graf ordered measures to prevent the comments by Utah County prosecutor Christopher Ballard from tainting potential jurors should the case go to trial.
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Attorneys on both sides have raised concerns that the misinformation and extensive media attention could taint the potential jury pool.
Verb
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Every project should be decomposed into tasks, with explicit categorization of which are human, AI or hybrid.
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The owners of Davis Mortuary in Pueblo have been arrested, accused in connection with the investigation that was sparked by last year's discovery of decomposing bodies behind a barricaded door at the mortuary.
Verb
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The storms damaged at least 20 homes in the county, Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator Keith Hertenstein said.
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Driving through deep water can also damage a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.
Verb
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Onboard, guests can indulge at eight different restaurants, ranging in style from Pan-Asian and French to poolside pizza and a steakhouse.
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Chris is a freelance journalist who, when not writing, skywatching, playing games or building Lego, indulges his taste for horror, sci-fi and the post-apocalyptic.
Noun
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Toek Tik did not know exactly where his loot ended up after leaving Cambodia.
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While the store's look hasn't changed too much over the decades, the loot has.
Verb
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Jacob Whitehead Homophobic chant mars Mexico’s win Before the World Cup, the Mexican football federation launched a campaign that featured the heroes of the country’s 1986 World Cup side.
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Starmer is leaving after two years in office marred by missteps and judgment errors that eroded his standing with his party and the public.
Verb
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Newton was undeniably the face of Charlotte sports from the day he was drafted in 2011 until the year his career began to disintegrate due to injuries, in 2019.
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Ebenezer Watson followed closely the disintegrating situation with Britain in 1775.
Verb
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An underage girl was injured and treated at a hospital.
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Sixty-six people were injured in the incident.
Cite this Entry
“Spoil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spoil. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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