as in spoiled
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Dissimilar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spoiling
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 3 June 2026
Paige Bueckers scored 24 points and Azzi Fudd added 17 of her season-high 24 in the third quarter to lift the Dallas Wings to a 91-76 win over the New York Liberty on Sunday, spoiling the season debut of Sabrina Ionescu.
—CBS News, 24 May 2026
Anyone can shop the deals, but there are a few ways to save when spoiling your pets.
—Liz Knueven, CNBC, 12 May 2026
Going forward, decant items into air-tight containers or store some things (like bread) in the fridge or freezer to avoid spoiling prematurely.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 May 2026
The Grizzlies scored seven times in the fifth inning, highlighted by home runs from Noah Litchfield, Zeke Munoz and Micah Mecucci, pushed across three more in the sixth and added a run in the seventh en route to a 12-8 Palomar League victory, spoiling Senior Day for the Falcons.
—John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2026
In the absence of fridges, fermenting, sun-drying, and preserving in salt were the only ways to keep food from spoiling.
—Boutheina Ben Salem, Vogue, 8 May 2026
Last year, Joe noted the production was taking measures to avoid paparazzi spoiling the movie.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 6 May 2026
Matthews’ grab came on Contreras’ sacrifice fly in the fifth, spoiling the rally that ended when Trevor Story struck out with the bases loaded.
—ABC News, 2 May 2026
Noun
Food and drink Wilderness is known for serving polished but healthy modern bush fare that’s tasty and spoiling, but not overly rich.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
The sheets will absorb excess moisture, which will prevent your fruits and veggies spoiling quickly.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 3 June 2026
Paige Bueckers scored 24 points and Azzi Fudd added 17 of her season-high 24 in the third quarter to lift the Dallas Wings to a 91-76 win over the New York Liberty on Sunday, spoiling the season debut of Sabrina Ionescu.
—CBS News, 24 May 2026
Anyone can shop the deals, but there are a few ways to save when spoiling your pets.
—Liz Knueven, CNBC, 12 May 2026
Going forward, decant items into air-tight containers or store some things (like bread) in the fridge or freezer to avoid spoiling prematurely.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 May 2026
The Grizzlies scored seven times in the fifth inning, highlighted by home runs from Noah Litchfield, Zeke Munoz and Micah Mecucci, pushed across three more in the sixth and added a run in the seventh en route to a 12-8 Palomar League victory, spoiling Senior Day for the Falcons.
—John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2026
In the absence of fridges, fermenting, sun-drying, and preserving in salt were the only ways to keep food from spoiling.
—Boutheina Ben Salem, Vogue, 8 May 2026
Last year, Joe noted the production was taking measures to avoid paparazzi spoiling the movie.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 6 May 2026
Matthews’ grab came on Contreras’ sacrifice fly in the fifth, spoiling the rally that ended when Trevor Story struck out with the bases loaded.
—ABC News, 2 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spoiling
Adjective
-
Tensions first escalated over Memorial Day weekend when hundreds of detainees went on a hunger strike to protest spoiled food and wretched conditions, some of their lawyers said.—
Gloria Pazmino,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
-
Rebellions were common and pitted spoiled students against helpless teachers.—
Thomas Adam,
The Conversation,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Use place mats or tablecloths on your kitchen table to keep food spills, condensation from drinks, and utensils from marring or staining the surface.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
-
In Strasbourg, groups of Palace supporters clashed among themselves in a square in the city centre, marring the occasion.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Photos and a video Aiello provided show bladed wire snaking around the decomposing animal’s neck and curved horns, as well as the front legs, in a desert landscape dotted with boulders.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
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The park’s namesake Pinnacles are technically the remains of a decomposing Miocene volcano.—
Rachel Chang,
Travel + Leisure,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
On Sunday, severe thunderstorms are possible later in the day across parts of the northern Plains, including much of the Dakotas with damaging wind gusts and large hail the primary hazards.—
Daniel Peck,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
-
On its opening day, a fleet of Ukrainian drones attacked the city, damaging a warship in the nearby port of Kronstadt and setting an oil terminal on fire.—
Simon Shuster,
The Atlantic,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Thank you for indulging me on that.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
26 May 2026
-
The decor offers a colorful contrast to the austere exterior, allowing the house to honor the neighborhood while indulging the whims of its occupants.—
Fred Albert,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
Adjective
-
Anyone on the market for a new house over the past six years has had rotten luck.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
-
Advocates say the rotten food and lack of basic medical care is so bad some detainees are even on a hunger strike.—
Nick Caloway,
CBS News,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
Your local climate dictates specific maintenance needs, such as checking for rust in coastal areas or rubber decay in hot regions.—
Danny Smith,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
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Enamel erosion makes teeth more susceptible to sensitivity, staining, and decay.—
Cristina Mutchler,
Verywell Health,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Protagonist Jo’s mother disappeared when Jo was a teen, tainting her daughter with the stain of possible witchcraft.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
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At a time of intensifying divisions at home, a depiction of Ecuador could offer an Edenic, new-world landscape free from the partisanship tainting Church’s New England landscapes.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spoiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spoiling. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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