1
a
: one that spoils
b
: one (such as a political candidate) having little or no chance of winning but capable of depriving a rival of success
2
a
: a long narrow plate along the upper surface of an airplane wing that may be raised for reducing lift and increasing drag see airplane illustration
b
: an air deflector on an automobile to reduce the tendency to lift off the road at high speeds
3
: information about the plot of a movie or TV program that can spoil a viewer's sense of surprise or suspense
also : a person who discloses such information

Examples of spoiler in a Sentence

The review contains a few spoilers, so don't read it if you haven't seen the movie.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Viewers can get a full breakdown of Episode 5 — spoilers included — in the video below. Tim Lammers, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025 Warning: this story contains spoilers from Love Is Blind season 8. Joelle Goldstein, People.com, 10 Mar. 2025 This article contains spoilers about the Love Is Blind season 8 reunion. Jillian Sederholm, EW.com, 10 Mar. 2025 This premise, drawn from a 2022 novel by Edward Ashton, is Bong’s bleakest yet, which is one of the reasons it’s accompanied by the closest he’s come to a happy ending (spoilers, obviously, will follow). Alison Willmore, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spoiler

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of spoiler was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spoiler.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spoiler. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

1
a
: one that spoils
b
: one (as a political candidate) having little or no chance of winning but capable of depriving a rival of success
2
: a device (as on an airplane or automobile) used to disrupt airflow and decrease lift
3
: information about the plot of a book, motion picture, or television program that can spoil a reader's or a viewer's sense of surprise or suspense

More from Merriam-Webster on spoiler

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