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
• dirties
• blurs
• disgraces
• soils
• shames
• besmirches
• discolors
• dishonors
• tars
• clouds
• smudges
• perverts
• cheapens
• debases
• demeans
• debauches
• subverts
• sinks
• besmears
• depraves
• abases
• tarres
• demoralizes
• smirches
• colors
• smuts
• twists
• 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
• molds
• deteriorates
• descends
• putrefies
• breaks down
• runs to seed
• crumbles
• sours
• turns
• contaminates
• fouls
• taints
• pollutes
• goes to seed
• molders
• rusts
• ferments
• defiles
• mortifies
• degenerates
• curdles
• turns off
• declines
• sinks
• 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