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
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Example Sentences
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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
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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
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Not surprisingly, the overwhelming response from readers told me to stop being a killjoy.—
Sal Pizarro,
Mercury News,
2 Dec. 2025
Noun
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In a recent commentary, Marc Pinto, global head of private credit at Moody's, said funds may need to hold a larger proportion of more liquid, lower‑yielding assets to account for a growing retail presence — which could prove a drag on returns.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The conventional wisdom had been that Cornyn would be a gimme for the GOP while Paxton and his baggage—the Republicans in the state legislature impeached him—would be a drag, especially if Talarico emerged.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The dollar amount was chosen arbitrarily based on what voters might accept, and some cynics saw it as a move by a pro-development commission to cozy up to environmentalists.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2026
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However, those cynics didn’t sound as enlightened when the Rockets were up 18 early in the fourth quarter Saturday night.—
William Guillory,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Beneath the school’s football field, there are 160 bore holes, each 500 feet deep, containing pipes that harness the relatively consistent underground temperatures to regulate temperatures in the school.—
Rory Linnane,
jsonline.com,
26 Feb. 2026
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Marchand did not see the ice in OT but calmly stepped to the center dot, bore in on Korpisalo and beat him over the glove with a pretty backhander, a move Pastrnak knows well.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
An energy vampire has bad body language, the complaining look on their face, the vocal complainer.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Feb. 2026
-
If family needs cause drama, set kind boundaries and explain them to any complainers.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
2 Jan. 2026
Noun
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People who eat freshwater crab, prawns, frogs, snails and slugs are at greatest risk.—
Susanne Rust
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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Think jumbo lump crab cakes and goat cheese queso with wild mushrooms.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The nonprofit donated almost $200,000 to the church for the materials a grinch stole.—
Dawn White,
CBS News,
10 Dec. 2025
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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
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This approach isn’t about throwing a wet blanket on the festivities of the season.—
Monitor staff,
Christian Science Monitor,
19 Dec. 2025
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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 10 Mar. 2026.
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