1
as in taints
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 decomposes
to go through decomposition
the meat has spoiled
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spoils
John Shipley, Twin Cities, 23 Jan. 2026
Even the Hamburglar was there to help battle the British, and OK, burgle their burgers, the spoils of war.
—Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 21 Jan. 2026
Even fewer want American bombs dropping all over the globe, leaving a mess that will cost billions of taxpayer dollars to fix while oil executives get invited to meetings at the White House to split up the spoils.
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2026
If the offensive line deserved the MVP trophy in the Rose Bowl, the spoils should have gone to the defense here.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, America’s poorest aren’t enjoying the spoils of their employers’ success.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026
But who gets to enjoy the spoils of the new world?
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Recently recommissioned for a second season by Israeli broadcaster Kan, Pirates of Antiquities delves deep into the shadowy world of antiquities smuggling, where priceless historical treasures become the spoils of a race between robbers, dealers, and the archaeologists determined to stop them.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2026
Since 2021, college sports have charted a new course, one in which participants can enjoy the spoils of the billion-dollar industry that college sports have become.
—Eddie Edwards Jr, Baltimore Sun, 5 Jan. 2026
Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 29 Jan. 2026
Sinners leading all nominees by a record-breaking margin could shake up the Oscar race, which seemed destined to come down to One Battle After Another and Chloe Zhao’s Hamnet (the two films recently shared the Best Picture spoils at the Golden Globes).
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 22 Jan. 2026
With the victory spoils, Ruel collects A$50,000 ($33,700) courtesy of APRA AMCOS, Alberts and Sony Music Publishing.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 21 Jan. 2026
Nothing spoils a vacation faster than an ill-fitting pair of shoes.
—Michelle Baricevic, Travel + Leisure, 12 Jan. 2026
Conveniently located close to iconic sights, the downtown hotel spoils with a rooftop pool, buzzy restaurant, and bar in a sensory-rich, art-laden setting.
—Kathryn Streeter, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Jan. 2026
Pre-cut produce also spoils quicker and could pick up pathogens when sliced open.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025
That’s the kind of failing grade that ends drives and spoils red zone trips.
—Pete Sampson, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Frozen Shrimp Shellfish, like shrimp, spoils quickly, which is why many people prefer to purchase frozen shrimp.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 8 Oct. 2025
Noun
New manager Derek Shelton inherits a strong, deep rotation that stretches into the Triple-A roster with Mick Abel and Taj Bradley — some of the spoils of the trade-deadline purge — but also a lot of young position players who struggled to score runs in August and September.
—John Shipley, Twin Cities, 23 Jan. 2026
Even the Hamburglar was there to help battle the British, and OK, burgle their burgers, the spoils of war.
—Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 21 Jan. 2026
Even fewer want American bombs dropping all over the globe, leaving a mess that will cost billions of taxpayer dollars to fix while oil executives get invited to meetings at the White House to split up the spoils.
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2026
If the offensive line deserved the MVP trophy in the Rose Bowl, the spoils should have gone to the defense here.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, America’s poorest aren’t enjoying the spoils of their employers’ success.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026
But who gets to enjoy the spoils of the new world?
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Recently recommissioned for a second season by Israeli broadcaster Kan, Pirates of Antiquities delves deep into the shadowy world of antiquities smuggling, where priceless historical treasures become the spoils of a race between robbers, dealers, and the archaeologists determined to stop them.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2026
Since 2021, college sports have charted a new course, one in which participants can enjoy the spoils of the billion-dollar industry that college sports have become.
—Eddie Edwards Jr, Baltimore Sun, 5 Jan. 2026
Verb
This post spoils the entirety of Bridgerton Season 4 Part 1 (the first four episodes).
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 29 Jan. 2026
Sinners leading all nominees by a record-breaking margin could shake up the Oscar race, which seemed destined to come down to One Battle After Another and Chloe Zhao’s Hamnet (the two films recently shared the Best Picture spoils at the Golden Globes).
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 22 Jan. 2026
With the victory spoils, Ruel collects A$50,000 ($33,700) courtesy of APRA AMCOS, Alberts and Sony Music Publishing.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 21 Jan. 2026
Nothing spoils a vacation faster than an ill-fitting pair of shoes.
—Michelle Baricevic, Travel + Leisure, 12 Jan. 2026
Conveniently located close to iconic sights, the downtown hotel spoils with a rooftop pool, buzzy restaurant, and bar in a sensory-rich, art-laden setting.
—Kathryn Streeter, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Jan. 2026
Pre-cut produce also spoils quicker and could pick up pathogens when sliced open.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025
That’s the kind of failing grade that ends drives and spoils red zone trips.
—Pete Sampson, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Frozen Shrimp Shellfish, like shrimp, spoils quickly, which is why many people prefer to purchase frozen shrimp.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spoils
Verb
-
The film centered on the Environmental Protection Agency encasing the Simpsons’ hometown of Springfield in a dome after Homer taints the area’s water supply.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The research team developed a route-planning system for Astrobee, the ISS’s robotic assistant, that leverages sequential convex programming—a method that decomposes complex trajectory planning into smaller, tractable steps while guaranteeing safety and feasibility.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Dec. 2025
-
Shilajit is a mineral-rich resin that forms over centuries as plant material slowly decomposes under heat and pressure within the rocks of the Himalayan Mountains.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Verywell Health,
27 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The meatpacking giant also charges workers when someone takes or damages their personal protective equipment and insists on a three-year agreement, the union said.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
5 Feb. 2026
-
To explore that possibility, researchers at University College London and Queen Square Analytics set out to look beyond symptoms and clinical labels and focus instead on the biological signals of how MS damages the brain.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Raimi indulges Send Help’s gore and gross-out moments with the zest of someone returning to his cult-favorite roots.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Evolution occasionally indulges us with organisms that seem too cool or too scary to be true, like something out of a science fiction film.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
17 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Sensing Scarlet’s resolve to destroy him, Claudius poisons her.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The big differences between the labs probably reflect the fact that, as Italians like to say, the fish rots from the head.—
Caroline Mimbs Nyce,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Bacterial plant diseases include speck (a winter-surviving infection that attacks tomatoes), canker (which damages fruit trees including those producing apples and peaches), and blight (which rots melons, cucumbers, pumpkins, squash, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, beans, and more).—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Bystander videos, like the ones taken of Pretti, have played a key role for decades in informing the public when law enforcement kills or injures people.—
Ava Berger,
NPR,
28 Jan. 2026
-
California law already criminalizes unsafe gun storage in certain situations, including when a child accesses a firearm and injures or kills someone.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
His fervor for society pleases his mother Violet (Ruth Gemmell), but also frustrates her to the point of squeezing Penelope for information.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
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The new emphasis, and the current EPA’s view that economic interests should be critical to environmental rules, pleases many business groups.—
Andre Mouchard,
Oc Register,
18 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spoils.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spoils. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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