Synonyms of spoils

spoils 1 of 2

noun

plural of spoil

as in loots

valuables stolen or taken by force

the bandits escaped with their lives but not with the spoils

Synonyms & Similar Words

• loots
• plunders
• treasures
• prizes
• pillages
• swags
• booties
• windfalls
• hauls
• takes
• catches
• pilferages

spoils

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of spoil

1

as in taints

to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable

too much coddling will spoil the child

Synonyms & Similar Words

• taints
• poisons
• mars
• stains
• darkens
• touches
• tarnishes
• vitiates
• degrades
• distorts
• corrupts
• discredits
• lowers
• pollutes
• smears
• blemishes
• sullies
• blackens
• blurs
• dirties
• disgraces
• soils
• shames
• discolors
• dishonors
• tars
• clouds
• smudges
• perverts
• cheapens
• debases
• demeans
• besmirches
• debauches
• subverts
• sinks
• besmears
• abases
• demoralizes
• colors
• smirches
• twists
• smuts
• depraves
• begrimes
• bastardizes
• fouls

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• purifies
• cleanses
• elevates
• magnifies
• glorifies
• uplifts
• ennobles
• enshrines
• dignifies
• hallows

2

as in decomposes

to go through decomposition

the meat has spoiled

Synonyms & Similar Words

• decomposes
• rots
• disintegrates
• decays
• corrupts
• perishes
• festers
• falls apart
• deteriorates
• molds
• descends
• putrefies
• breaks down
• crumbles
• sours
• turns
• contaminates
• fouls
• taints
• pollutes
• goes to seed
• molders
• rusts
• ferments
• defiles
• mortifies
• degenerates
• curdles
• turns off
• sinks
• declines
• addles
• withers
• dilapidates

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ages
• grows
• develops
• ripens
• matures
• restores
• refreshes
• renews
• improves
• purifies
• cleanses
• integrates
• assembles
• composes
• ameliorates
• betters
• meliorates

3

as in damages

to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of

know when to stop, for an unnecessary brushstroke can spoil a painted portrait

Synonyms & Similar Words

• damages
• injures
• mars
• compromises
• hurts
• cripples
• weakens
• harms
• breaks
• erodes
• impairs
• destroys
• flaws
• vitiates
• disfigures
• ruins
• undermines
• crosses (up)
• bloodies
• defaces
• blemishes
• crabs
• wounds
• deteriorates
• shatters
• endamages
• tarnishes
• enfeebles
• blights
• enervates
• wrecks
• demolishes
• washes out
• wears (away)
• scours
• wastes
• tortures
• batters
• smashes
• devastates
• annihilates
• lacerates
• desolates
• torments
• dents
• botches
• mutilates
• crushes
• wipes out
• decimates
• dings
• maims
• disables
• pulverizes
• totals
• tears down
• clobbers
• mangles
• queers
• bashes
• razes
• gums (up)
• lames
• scourges
• dints
• dashes
• does in
• bangs up
• hamstrings

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• repairs
• doctors
• reconstructs
• rebuilds
• fixes
• helps
• renovates
• revamps
• patches
• reconditions
• heals
• mends
• cures
• remedies
• rectifies
• improves
• rehabilitates
• enhances
• enriches
• revises
• edits
• remodels
• ameliorates
• refines
• perfects
• betters
• meliorates

4

as in indulges

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

• indulges
• pleases
• nurses
• delights
• babies
• pampers
• mothers
• appeases
• coddles
• satisfies
• cossets
• dandles
• contents
• mollycoddles
• humors
• caters (to)
• wet-nurses
• gratifies
• soothes
• cockers
• gladdens
• obliges
• placates
• pacifies
• mollifies

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• abuses
• controls
• misuses
• restrains
• mistreats
• maltreats
• mishandles
• oppresses
• disciplines
• neglects
• violates
• ill-treats
• manhandles
• ill-uses
• overlooks
• harms
• hurts
• outrages
• injures
• slights
• torments
• tortures
• molests
• victimizes
• harasses
• persecutes

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun spoils differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of spoils are booty, loot, plunder, prize, and spoil. While all these words mean "something taken from another by force or craft," spoil, more commonly spoils, applies to what belongs by right or custom to the victor in war or political contest.

the spoils of political victory

When can booty be used instead of spoils?

In some situations, the words booty and spoils are roughly equivalent. However, booty implies plunder to be shared among confederates.

thieves dividing up their booty

When is it sensible to use loot instead of spoils?

While the synonyms loot and spoils are close in meaning, loot applies especially to what is taken from victims of a catastrophe.

picked through the ruins for loot

In what contexts can plunder take the place of spoils?

Although the words plunder and spoils have much in common, plunder applies to what is taken not only in war but in robbery, banditry, grafting, or swindling.

a bootlegger's plunder

When might prize be a better fit than spoils?

The meanings of prize and spoils largely overlap; however, prize applies to spoils captured on the high seas or territorial waters of the enemy.

the wartime right of seizing prizes at sea

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of spoils

Noun

To the victors go the spoils, and chief among them are committee chairmanships in the House of Representatives and Senate. — Kevin R. Kosar, The Washington Examiner, 7 Nov. 2026

But Jed’s not content to quietly enjoy the spoils of an exploitative labor arrangement. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026

The pair have developed a system of bonusing employees for success on a year-round basis, rather than doling out bonus coin once a year, with staffers receiving little information as to how the spoils were divided. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 5 Nov. 2026

To the agers who make a practice of exercising during the decades before retirement, and who fall on the lucky side of fate, often go the spoils of fulfillment. — Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026

Back then, bond investors were enjoying the spoils of a multi-decade bull market. — Greg Ritchie, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026

Along the way there were Nazis, spoils of war, and more than one accidental encounter. — IEEE Spectrum, 2 Aug. 2026

Nowhere is this indifference to people more apparent than in the treatment of female characters (at least the ones who aren’t big splashy cameos) as rewards or status symbols or spoils of war. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2026

But Marconi also remembered that Messi would divide the spoils among his teammates, handing out alfajores to other boys. — Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026

Verb

This story spoils the plot of the film Whalefall, now out in theaters, based on Daniel Kraus‘ novel. — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026

The royal banquet is supposed to be a celebration of Macbeth’s power, but the presence of the morally upright ghost spoils everything! — Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026

Poor setup spoils a full experience While the day was meant to relive a tradition that brought music to KU’s campus, the ball was certainly dropped as far as the set-up goes. — Rashad Alexander october 7, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2026

Alonso is eight RBIs ahead of Alvarez for the league lead and may be the man who spoils the Houston slugger's pursuit of a Triple Crown. — ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026

Most Popular Above all, Cape Town is a beach town that spoils with options for sun and sand. — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Aug. 2026

Summer spoils passengers with long days to take in the changing scenery, and the Prairies reward with epic sunsets. — Maryam Siddiqi, Travel + Leisure, 14 Aug. 2026

The fruit spoils quickly, so it is often sold frozen or as juice, puree, or powder. — Lindsey Desoto, Health, 30 July 2026

The jewel thieves’ spoils, all of which are still missing, include a sapphire necklace worn by Napoleon Bonaparte’s stepdaughter and an emerald necklace covered with more than 1,000 diamonds. — News Desk, Artforum, 22 July 2026