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
Isabel Vasquez Rd Ldn, Health, 1 Oct. 2025
Soundcore reckons that the screen's large footprint should help prevent the odd gust of wind from spoiling the yard or pool party.
—New Atlas, 25 Sep. 2025
Chris Deubert, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
The image of your mother being too sleepy to enjoy the spoils of her own hard work—or to even be fully present as her children enjoyed those spoils—struck me as such a succinct encapsulation of her sacrifice and her heroism, as well as their drawbacks.
—G'ra Asim
september 16, Literary Hub, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spoil
Verb
That often means refrigerating them to ensure the microorganisms stay alive and the product doesn’t spoil.
—Isabel Vasquez Rd Ldn, Health, 1 Oct. 2025
Soundcore reckons that the screen's large footprint should help prevent the odd gust of wind from spoiling the yard or pool party.
—New Atlas, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
Yet leagues and players have a long history of hashing out how to fairly divide the spoils of their joint efforts, sometimes more amicably than others.
—Chris Deubert, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
The image of your mother being too sleepy to enjoy the spoils of her own hard work—or to even be fully present as her children enjoyed those spoils—struck me as such a succinct encapsulation of her sacrifice and her heroism, as well as their drawbacks.
—G'ra Asim
september 16, Literary Hub, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spoil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spoil
Verb
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The work captures life between Mount Vesuvius and the Gulf of Naples, where the ground shakes periodically and the fumaroles of the Phlegraean Fields taint the air.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Some of Blair's fellow Brits say the same Blair's decisions about Iraq still taint his reputation at home.—
Lauren Frayer,
NPR,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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These clippings decompose rapidly, enhancing soil quality and providing nutrients for your turf grass.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Oct. 2025
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Water molecules in the electrolyte tend to decompose, and zinc deposits unevenly, forming dendrites that can cause short circuits.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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At the same time, people familiar with the investigation told me that Khan has devoted much of his defense to convincing investigators that Israel and its allies are exploiting the accuser in order to damage him and the court.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
5 Oct. 2025
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This common strain releases a toxin that can damage blood vessels in the intestines and kidneys, which can cause serious complications like kidney damage.—
Brandi Jones,
Health,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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My Rimowa cabin carry-on has been a reliable favorite for years—surprisingly spacious and perfect for indulging my overpacking tendencies.—
Elly Leavitt,
Vogue,
2 Oct. 2025
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To tell the jokes that make others groan, but to do it wholeheartedly and keep the faith that there are people out there — their people — who will not only indulge, but truly adore, their senses of humor.—
Audrey Goldberg Ruoff,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Much of the backlash stemmed from its reliance on live-service models, microtransactions, and controversial mechanics like loot boxes.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
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An investor may need to adjust future cash flows if the studio relies on loot boxes in regions where probability disclosures are trending toward mandatory.—
Dmitrii Khasanov,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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What little momentum the Broncos created was frequently marred by penalties, and a third-down sack had ruined a scoring chance in the first half.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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The show was marred only by an audio mix that dimmed Coleman’s evocative voice amid a wash of instruments — at least from this reviewer’s spot in the Fox — but the Red Clay Strays’ impact shone through nevertheless.—
Brian McCollum,
Freep.com,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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When breaking down what the heck happened over the last four months, the first item on the list is the way New York’s starting rotation disintegrated.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
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Her life starts to disintegrate as she becomes embroiled in the world of The Worrall Family.—
Nancy Tartaglione,
Deadline,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The two people injured in the crash were taken to a hospital for further medical evaluation.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
10 Oct. 2025
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An elk hunter was seriously injured in a bear attack in British Columbia, according to Canadian authorities.—
Lauren Liebhaber,
Miami Herald,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spoil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spoil. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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