as in rotten
having undergone organic breakdown
spoiled milk
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
or chiefly British spoilt
1
as in tainted
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 decomposed
to go through decomposition
the meat has spoiled
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in damaged
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 indulged
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 spoiled
Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 3 May 2026
Ann and Pat later moved to a 10-acre farm east of Franktown, where Schrader gardened, raised hens, spoiled cats and hoisted 50-pound bales of hay among other chores for the family’s eight horses.
—Billie Stanton, Denver Post, 30 Apr. 2026
More and more Americans across the spectrum see Netanyahu’s Israel as a spoiled child, and they’re just fed up with it.
—Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026
Other warning signs include a damaged or opened lid and an unusual or spoiled smell.
—ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026
Hally’s vindictive turn is a betrayal, not just of their bond, but of the dream of a more equitable South Africa that could tolerate a Black man being a mentor to a spoiled, brokenhearted white kid.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
Staff also received guidance on identifying and removing spoiled produce.
—Jasmine Arenas, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
When residents and small businesses sought reimbursement for spoiled food, lost revenue, and emergency expenses, many found their claims rejected by Con Edison.
—Shahana Hanif, New York Daily News, 14 Apr. 2026
At her very best, Emily behaves like a petulant pre-adolescent spoiled imp.
—Liza Lentini, SPIN, 14 Apr. 2026
Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Suddenly, and very publicly, Russian officials appeared nervous, afraid that their parade would be spoiled.
—Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026
With Doval and company off their games, the Yankees’ bullpen also spoiled a strong offensive night from Paul Goldschmidt.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 10 May 2026
Last Sunday against Birmingham, the Storm got another good passing performance from quarterback Jack Plummer, but three turnovers spoiled the day.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 May 2026
Readers of the 2000s and 2010s YA heyday are spoiled – many of these authors are making a comeback.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 7 May 2026
For the Ducks, that goal spoiled nothing.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
Cincy spoiled the shutout in the ninth off reliever Jimmy Herget when Will Benson tagged him for a two-run homer.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 30 Apr. 2026
We were spoiled for easily accessible nature.
—Alexandra Sanidad, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
My girl's gonna get spoiled — that's for sure — from Aunt Julianne.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 3 May 2026
Ann and Pat later moved to a 10-acre farm east of Franktown, where Schrader gardened, raised hens, spoiled cats and hoisted 50-pound bales of hay among other chores for the family’s eight horses.
—Billie Stanton, Denver Post, 30 Apr. 2026
More and more Americans across the spectrum see Netanyahu’s Israel as a spoiled child, and they’re just fed up with it.
—Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026
Other warning signs include a damaged or opened lid and an unusual or spoiled smell.
—ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026
Hally’s vindictive turn is a betrayal, not just of their bond, but of the dream of a more equitable South Africa that could tolerate a Black man being a mentor to a spoiled, brokenhearted white kid.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
Staff also received guidance on identifying and removing spoiled produce.
—Jasmine Arenas, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
When residents and small businesses sought reimbursement for spoiled food, lost revenue, and emergency expenses, many found their claims rejected by Con Edison.
—Shahana Hanif, New York Daily News, 14 Apr. 2026
At her very best, Emily behaves like a petulant pre-adolescent spoiled imp.
—Liza Lentini, SPIN, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
We are spoiled for choice in this town.
—Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Suddenly, and very publicly, Russian officials appeared nervous, afraid that their parade would be spoiled.
—Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026
With Doval and company off their games, the Yankees’ bullpen also spoiled a strong offensive night from Paul Goldschmidt.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 10 May 2026
Last Sunday against Birmingham, the Storm got another good passing performance from quarterback Jack Plummer, but three turnovers spoiled the day.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 May 2026
Readers of the 2000s and 2010s YA heyday are spoiled – many of these authors are making a comeback.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 7 May 2026
For the Ducks, that goal spoiled nothing.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
Cincy spoiled the shutout in the ninth off reliever Jimmy Herget when Will Benson tagged him for a two-run homer.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 30 Apr. 2026
We were spoiled for easily accessible nature.
—Alexandra Sanidad, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spoiled
Adjective
-
The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index fell to its lowest level ever recorded, as war in the Middle East caused all demographic groups across age, income, and political party to feel rotten, prior to the announcement of the ceasefire.—
Jill Schlesinger,
Mercury News,
4 May 2026
-
Too much water can lead to rotten roots or fungal infections.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Many of Starmer’s potential opponents within the Labour Party are tainted by scandal – such as Angela Rayner, the former deputy prime minister who resigned last year over her failure to pay the correct amount of property tax – or untested.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
8 May 2026
-
An expert who spoke to New York magazine estimated that about 30 percent of the peptides tested for clients were contaminated or otherwise tainted.—
Erin Vanderhoof,
Vanity Fair,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Halleck adds coffee grounds need to be decomposed by microbes first to release nitrogen and other nutrients.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Her body was so badly decomposed; no DNA swab could be taken.—
Mary Murphy,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Still vehicle electronics can be damaged from reverse polarity, poor or wrong connection points or voltage spikes from improper equipment.—
Hartford Courant,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
-
The surge triggered severe erosion, damaged the powerhouse and nearby switchyards, washed debris into the North Yuba River and destroyed portions of Lake Francis Road.—
Nicole Buss,
Sacbee.com,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Perhaps the latter must be indulged a bit to build a platform for the former—forests sometimes need to burn in order to thrive.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
-
His appetite for complexity was increasingly indulged as a means of branding cities and institutions, and his novel forms were deployed as blunt metaphors to absorb and obscure contradictions rather than negotiate them in material and spatial terms.—
Julian Rose,
Artforum,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
When hunted, poisoned, and persecuted, the coyotes scattered and regrouped, their numbers surging a hundred-fold.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
-
The latter activity gives them some solid ground to plant their hooves on when George abruptly turns up dead one morning, poisoned by an unknown suspect.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
That last line is a nod for the brain-rotted among us.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Uncollected garbage rotted in heaps, and people cued outside of bakeries for their daily government ration of bread.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The entire proceedings have been marred by tragedy since the exhibition’s artistic director, Koyo Kouoh, died suddenly of liver cancer in early 2025, leaving her staff to complete the last year of work.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
5 May 2026
-
The Australian Jewish Association welcomed the report’s release but said it was marred by failing to address the form of antisemitic extremism said to have motivated the Bondi Beach shooters.—
Philissa Cramer,
Sun Sentinel,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spoiled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spoiled. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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