spoiled

1. 1
   adjective

   No longer usable or edible because it has rotted or gone bad.

   Spoiled vegetables at the back of the fridge had begun to rot.

   The campers found their food was spoiled after the cooler failed overnight.

   Similarrotten, bad, off, rancid, decayed

   Oppositefresh

2. 2
   adjective

   Made selfish or greedy in character by too much pampering.

   Their spoiled son sulked for hours after being denied a second dessert.

   Years of indulgence left her spoiled and unable to handle the smallest disappointment.

   Similarbratty, pampered

   Note

   A verdict on character rather than on treatment, and most often passed on a child. Said of an adult, it charges them with a child's demands. The word is gradable (more spoiled, most spoiled), and context decides which meaning is in play. A spoiled son is a complaint; we were spoiled by the staff is a pleasure, the sense of being pampered, which carries no reproach.

3. 3
   adjective

   Given a great deal of pampering, attention, and indulgent treatment.

   On vacation they felt thoroughly spoiled by the resort's attentive staff.

   The grandparents love having the children over so they can keep them happily spoiled.

   Similarpampered, indulged, coddled, cosseted

   Oppositeneglected, deprived

4. 4
   verb

   Simple past and past participle of spoil.

   The unexpected rain spoiled their picnic in the park.

   Years of luxury had spoiled him for ordinary comforts.

   Note

   One spelling does two jobs. Spoiled is the simple past (the rain spoiled the picnic) and also the past participle after have or be (the picnic was spoiled). Today it carries the verb's living meanings, ruining and over-indulging. Older prose may use it for stripping a defeated enemy or plundering a city, senses now archaic. In such writing, they spoiled the town means they looted it, not that they damaged it.

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