as in spoiled
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as in rotting
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in marring
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
too much coddling will spoil the child
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decomposing
to go through decomposition
the meat has spoiled
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in damaging
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
know when to stop, for an unnecessary brushstroke can spoil a painted portrait
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4
as in indulging
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spoiling
Robert Lang, Deadline, 23 Jan. 2026
Winter Storm Fern is already spoiling weekend travel plans for Charlotte airport passengers, with a forecast of snow, sleet, and freezing rain looming over the state.
—Charlotte Observer, 23 Jan. 2026
Once washed, make sure to dry properly with a kitchen towel and store in a colander-style container to prevent any leftover drops pooling and spoiling your food.
—Kristin Corpuz, Architectural Digest, 16 Jan. 2026
Without spoiling too much, there isn’t much to spoil; Lost Lambs has no such mortal stakes.
—Gideon Leek, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
The Wild led 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2, but New York had an answer all three times, spoiling an impressive show by Minnesota defenseman Quinn Hughes, who set up all three of the team’s goals.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
The loss dropped Brooklyn to 11-23, spoiling one of Porter’s biggest nights as a Net and a defining moment for Dëmin.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2026
Butter crocks are designed with an air-tight seal and a separate space to store water at the bottom that prevents air from reaching the butter, which can lead to spoiling.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 7 Jan. 2026
There is also a fear in Cuba that the developments in Venezuela could cause a deterioration of the quality of life because of power issues, including with spoiling food, trash and mosquitoes.
—Phil Helsel, NBC news, 4 Jan. 2026
Verb
While photography was strictly off limits in certain creative hubs to avoid spoiling unannounced figurines currently in development, the atmosphere on-site remained incredibly jovial.
—Robert Lang, Deadline, 23 Jan. 2026
Winter Storm Fern is already spoiling weekend travel plans for Charlotte airport passengers, with a forecast of snow, sleet, and freezing rain looming over the state.
—Charlotte Observer, 23 Jan. 2026
Once washed, make sure to dry properly with a kitchen towel and store in a colander-style container to prevent any leftover drops pooling and spoiling your food.
—Kristin Corpuz, Architectural Digest, 16 Jan. 2026
Without spoiling too much, there isn’t much to spoil; Lost Lambs has no such mortal stakes.
—Gideon Leek, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
The Wild led 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2, but New York had an answer all three times, spoiling an impressive show by Minnesota defenseman Quinn Hughes, who set up all three of the team’s goals.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
The loss dropped Brooklyn to 11-23, spoiling one of Porter’s biggest nights as a Net and a defining moment for Dëmin.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2026
Butter crocks are designed with an air-tight seal and a separate space to store water at the bottom that prevents air from reaching the butter, which can lead to spoiling.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 7 Jan. 2026
There is also a fear in Cuba that the developments in Venezuela could cause a deterioration of the quality of life because of power issues, including with spoiling food, trash and mosquitoes.
—Phil Helsel, NBC news, 4 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spoiling
Adjective
-
What to Do With Overripe Pears Not to worry if pears are soft but not spoiled.—
Lynn Andriani,
Martha Stewart,
8 Jan. 2026
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The United Center cheers were nearly spoiled when Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy challenged the game-winner for an offside penalty.—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Including playoffs, Mayfield turned the ball over more than anyone else from 2023 through 2024, marring an otherwise fantastic two seasons in Tampa Bay.—
Jacob Robinson,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
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An optional front rack on both models adds instant utility without marring the retro-fantastic looks.—
William Roberson,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In desert regions, natural mummification is common due to the dry conditions where fungi and bacteria can’t thrive on a decomposing corpse.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
15 Jan. 2026
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In town, the painter also notes the reek of decomposing bodies, of garbage, of blood streaming out of the butcher shop.—
Amir Ahmadi Arian,
The Dial,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Sudden cold could be damaging to lawns due to the warm weather; most should regrow.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
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But toward the end of the afternoon session, the Frenchman spun on the damp track and hit the wall, damaging his car.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Animal Collective member’s first solo album is a personal, psychedelic trip indulging his fascination with the hurdy-gurdy.—
Zach Schonfeld,
Pitchfork,
30 Jan. 2026
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Battambang province is Cambodia’s agricultural heartland and, aside from indulging at the local markets, one of the best ways to experience its culinary heritage is getting into the countryside.—
Vicky Smith,
Forbes.com,
16 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Fruit flies will still find rotten food thrown in the trash and drink cans that still contain liquid, so keep a lid on the bins for extra protection.—
Emma Ashe,
Southern Living,
30 Jan. 2026
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Thick ice is rotten after rain.—
Katie Wiseman,
IndyStar,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The most visible sign of this decay is the toxic white foam that now coats the surface, a thick layer of sewage and industrial waste that has formed over sections of the river.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
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Infrastructure decay is perhaps the most visible symptom.—
Israel Melendez Ayala,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Judges typically allow for questioning of prospective jurors who may have a bias separately from the larger pool of jurors to avoid tainting others.—
John Diedrich,
jsonline.com,
12 Dec. 2025
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And there's also issues of tainting the jury pool.—
Stepheny Price , Michael Ruiz , Adam Sabes , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
11 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spoiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spoiling. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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