spoil

Formsspoils, spoiling, spoiled

Pluralspoils

1. 1
   verbtransitive

   To damage something so badly that it can no longer be used or enjoyed.

   Like dropping mud on a clean shirt: it's no good anymore.

   Too much salt can spoil a good soup.

   The heavy rain spoiled our whole afternoon at the park.

   Similarruin, wreck, mar, damage, destroy

   Oppositeimprove, enhance

   Note
2. 2
   verbintransitive

   To go bad, the way food does when it gets too old to eat.

   Like flowers that wilt and turn brown after a few days.

   Milk will spoil quickly if you leave it out of the fridge.

   The fruit spoiled before we had a chance to eat it.

   Similarrot, decay, sour, turn, putrefy

   Oppositekeep

   Note
3. 3
   verbtransitive

   To harm someone's behavior by giving them far too much of what they want.

   Like watering a plant so much that its roots rot.

   Grandparents often spoil their grandchildren with too many gifts.

   They spoiled the puppy until it ignored every command.

   Similarpamper, indulge, coddle, cosset, overindulge

4. 4
   verbtransitive

   To ruin a story for someone by telling them what happens before they read or watch it.

   Like someone reading you the last page of a mystery book.

   Please don't spoil the movie for me.

   My friend spoiled the book's ending in one careless text.

   Similarreveal, ruin

5. 5
   noun

   Goods or valuables taken from an enemy you have beaten.

   Like the prize a winner takes after beating an opponent.

   The raiders divided the spoil among themselves.

   Soldiers carried the spoils back to their camp.

   Similarbooty, loot, plunder, prize

   Note
6. 6
   verbtransitive

   To make a voting paper count for nothing by marking it the wrong way on purpose.

   Like crossing out everything on a form so it cannot be counted.

   Some voters spoil their ballots to show they reject every candidate.

   She spoiled her ballot by scrawling a message across it.

   Similardeface, invalidate

   Note
7. 7
   noununcountable

   Rock and earth that are dug up and removed during digging, mining, or clearing out waterways.

   Like the pile of dirt left next to a hole you have just dug.

   The diggers piled the spoil beside the new trench.

   Trucks hauled away tons of spoil from the mine each day.

   Similarwaste

   Note
8. 8
   verbtransitive

   To cut down the lift of a plane or wing by pushing air upward, usually with a flap called a spoiler.

   Like sticking your flat hand out a car window to push against the air.

   Pilots can spoil the wing's lift to descend more steeply.

   The system spoils the lift as the jet comes in to land.

   Note
9. 9
   verbintransitive

   To want something so much that you can hardly wait, especially a fight.

   Like a dog that pulls hard at its leash, desperate to chase something.

   Some boys spoil for a fight the moment they feel insulted.

   He was spoiling for an argument all evening.

   Similaritch, long, yearn

   Note

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