1
as in to taint
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
too much coddling will spoil the child
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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
Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2025
Another suggests the cache could be war spoils of Czechoslovak legionnaires.
—Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 20 May 2025
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
Noun
And bringing all these hustlers together is the greatest con artist of them all – a cunning macaque who feeds on the spoils from unsuspecting tourists.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2025
Another suggests the cache could be war spoils of Czechoslovak legionnaires.
—Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 20 May 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
-
With that First Amendment right comes a responsibility not to destroy property, loot or condone violence, and a parallel responsibility by police and other law-enforcement not to overreact or overreach.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2025
-
Subsequent versions have added additional planets, a reputation system, loot, and a host of other systems and features.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
2 June 2025
Verb
-
Their prosecution was tainted by multiple constitutional violations and political bias.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
-
White died nine days later on Nov. 21 The best friend of a British woman who died after drinking alcohol that authorities suspect was tainted with methanol while visiting Laos is speaking out.—
Becca Longmire,
People.com,
27 May 2025
Verb
-
Molasses is food for soil microbes—tiny living organisms like bacteria, fungi, and protozoa—that decompose organic matter, improve soil structure, and make nutrients available to plants, Fox says.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 June 2025
-
The microbes perform vital functions like decomposing organic matter, improving water-holding capacity, cycling nutrients, and suppressing pathogens to improve plant resilience and overall soil health.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
24 May 2025
Verb
-
Driving through deep water can also damage a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
9 June 2025
-
Her older brother, a successful economist, and her sister, a government lawyer, have repeatedly warned her that her outspokenness could damage not only her career but theirs.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
Verb
-
Strive to indulge once in a while without overdoing it.—
Leigh Morgan,
Quartz,
2 June 2025
-
Lot holders know that tchotchkes aren’t allowed but that the grounds crew will indulge them, for a time.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
2 June 2025
Noun
-
Last month, in another headline-grabbing food plunder, 100,000 organic eggs were taken from a distribution trailer in Pennsylvania.—
Adeel Hassan,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
-
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
Verb
-
Graffiti marred the exterior of City Hall, an Art Deco landmark built in 1928.—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
-
Signed in 2023 from Fenerbahce in his homeland, Guler’s debut season was marred by injuries.—
Mario Cortegana,
New York Times,
8 June 2025
Verb
-
Guinness noted that the actor had to jump out of a helicopter from a minimum height of 7,500 feet — sometimes while wearing a 50-pound camera rig — and that the parachute could only burn for about three seconds before completely disintegrating, forcing Cruise to deploy a backup chute.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
5 June 2025
-
Instead the vehicle spun out of control and disintegrated during atmospheric reentry.—
Gayoung Lee,
Scientific American,
28 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spoil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spoil. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share