as in killjoy
a person who spoils the pleasure of others
if you don't want to play, at least don't be a spoilsport
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of spoilsport
Suddenly, the Republicans were the spoilsports who couldn’t take the joke, a position stereotypically held by politically correct liberals.
—
Rebecca Jennings, Vox, 9 Aug. 2024
Millennial workers are increasingly becoming the office spoilsports, with young people increasingly likely to be in it for the money rather than for fun, as years of economic turmoil force them to keep their heads down, collect their monthly paychecks, and fight for a promotion.
—Byryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 26 June 2024
This spoilsport effort has become fodder for late-night comedy routines and gripes about liberal overlords such as Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg banishing all fun.
—Chicago Tribune, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2024
Be prepared to be labelled humourless, difficult, a spoilsport, and a ruiner of parties, meetings, dinners, and picnics.
—Natalie Gil, refinery29.com, 11 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for spoilsport
Rebecca Jennings, Vox, 9 Aug. 2024
Millennial workers are increasingly becoming the office spoilsports, with young people increasingly likely to be in it for the money rather than for fun, as years of economic turmoil force them to keep their heads down, collect their monthly paychecks, and fight for a promotion.
—Byryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 26 June 2024
This spoilsport effort has become fodder for late-night comedy routines and gripes about liberal overlords such as Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg banishing all fun.
—Chicago Tribune, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2024
Be prepared to be labelled humourless, difficult, a spoilsport, and a ruiner of parties, meetings, dinners, and picnics.
—Natalie Gil, refinery29.com, 11 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for spoilsport
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spoilsport
Noun
-
Such means of interpretation, according to a killjoy like Bellow, reduces the complexity, interiority, and negative capability of literature into the work of a cryptologist trying to crack a code, of an occultist parsing scripture for hidden meanings.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Dec. 2025
-
Not surprisingly, the overwhelming response from readers told me to stop being a killjoy.—
Sal Pizarro,
Mercury News,
2 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
That includes the cost of installing two antennas onto each aircraft fuselage, plus an extra 2% of aerodynamic drag that would increase the fuel bill by $200 million.—
Kelvin Chan,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Jan. 2026
-
According to research from Bain & Company published in Harvard Business Review, the average company loses more than 20% of its productive capacity to 'organizational drag’, the internal friction caused by complex processes and systemic lack of clarity.—
Ginger Gentile,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In a real life departure, cynics would say, truth is rewarded in the tests.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
12 Jan. 2026
-
The belief by cynics is that Netflix wants to be a streaming service.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
26 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Court records viewed by NBC News revealed that the sequence of events that left Ross bloodied and bruised bore some similarities to the scenario that ended with Good’s death.—
Corky Siemaszko,
NBC news,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Games that are too easy bore older players, while overly complex games can frustrate younger ones.—
Clarissa Brincat,
Popular Science,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
If family needs cause drama, set kind boundaries and explain them to any complainers.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
2 Jan. 2026
-
The faculty experience has been that administrations often side with the complainers.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The crab-eating frog, on the other hand, suppresses urea excretion during salt exposure, which allows the levels to rise safely.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Also on the menu are pasta and udon dishes, nabe, izakaya, gyoza, soft shell crab, chicken karaage and more.—
Brock Keeling,
Daily News,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The nonprofit donated almost $200,000 to the church for the materials a grinch stole.—
Dawn White,
CBS News,
10 Dec. 2025
-
To play off the flavor of the candy, the grinch-green dough has a subtle cinnamon flavor of its own.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
30 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
This approach isn’t about throwing a wet blanket on the festivities of the season.—
Monitor staff,
Christian Science Monitor,
19 Dec. 2025
-
Both dynamics are pretty well-worn from the first four seasons of the series, and there isn't much value to turning both Hopper and Joyce into wet blankets at this moment of ultimate crisis.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
27 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spoilsport.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spoilsport. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
