spoil 1 of 2

noun

Definition of spoilnext
as in loot
valuables stolen or taken by force the bandits escaped with their lives but not with the spoils

Synonyms & Similar Words

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spoil

2 of 2

verb

ˈspȯi(-ə)l How to pronounce spoil (audio)
1
as in to taint
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable too much coddling will spoil the child

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to decompose
to go through decomposition the meat has spoiled

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to damage
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of know when to stop, for an unnecessary brushstroke can spoil a painted portrait

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to indulge
to treat with great or excessive care when they were newlyweds, the wife tended to spoil her husband, but she soon got over that

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun spoil differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of spoil are booty, loot, plunder, prize, and spoils. While all these words mean "something taken from another by force or craft," spoil, more commonly spoils, applies to what belongs by right or custom to the victor in war or political contest.

the spoils of political victory

When would booty be a good substitute for spoil?

Although the words booty and spoil have much in common, booty implies plunder to be shared among confederates.

thieves dividing up their booty

When is it sensible to use loot instead of spoil?

The words loot and spoil are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, loot applies especially to what is taken from victims of a catastrophe.

picked through the ruins for loot

When is plunder a more appropriate choice than spoil?

The synonyms plunder and spoil are sometimes interchangeable, but plunder applies to what is taken not only in war but in robbery, banditry, grafting, or swindling.

a bootlegger's plunder

In what contexts can prize take the place of spoil?

While in some cases nearly identical to spoil, prize applies to spoils captured on the high seas or territorial waters of the enemy.

the wartime right of seizing prizes at sea

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of spoil
Noun
Even people who were unlikely to enjoy the spoils of power in Trump’s second presidency could take some pleasure, in this moment, in wielding it. — Philip Montgomery, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2025 Everyone in the program sacrificed to deliver a championship, and now they’re all entitled to enjoy the spoils. — Austin Meek, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025
Verb
However, Cleveland can still spoil a potential playoff run for Washington. — cleveland, 17 Dec. 2022 So, who exactly could spoil the Astros' pursuit of a third Commissioner's Trophy? — Michael Shapiro, Chron, 12 Dec. 2022 See All Example Sentences for spoil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spoil
  1. loot
  2. taint
  3. decompose
  4. damage
  5. indulge
  6. plunder
  7. mar
  8. disintegrate
Noun
  • Borderlands 4 is sticking to the signature first-person action-RPG nature of the previous installments and will be burying us in colorful loot once again.
    — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Thieves boarded freight trains operated by BNSF Railways, cut open the locks to shipping containers, and then tossed cargo off the side, where follow vehicles scooped up the loot.
    — Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of loot
Verb
  • Listen to this article Two state utilities have asked a judge to order Connecticut’s chief regulator to produce cellphone data and other materials that the companies say could show that a rate decision slashing their revenue last year was tainted by bias and other procedural irregularities.
    — Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 26 Mar. 2025
  • The movement also was tainted by instances of rampant antisemitism, which Khalil disavowed.
    — Chelsea Bailey, Gloria Pazmino and Taylor Galgano, CNN, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of taint
Verb
  • Crimping is the process of severing a crop at the base and laying it over to create a decomposing thatch/mulch layer for the garden without disturbing the soil.
    — Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Even after your trash can is emptied, the bacteria and decomposing debris can be left behind in trace amounts, which causes the odors to remain.
    — Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of decompose
Verb
  • But even though teams and equipment have been flown in from other nations, they are hindered by the airports in those cities being damaged and apparently unfit to land planes.
    — Time, Time, 29 Mar. 2025
  • Waging war on Denmark is wrong and will damage U.S. defense and foreign relations for decades We Americans should be ashamed of ourselves and of our government.
    — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2025
Definition of damage
Verb
  • Pileggi can’t write outside of his own sandbox, which means that DeNiro indulges the usual nefariousness.
    — Armond White, National Review, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Go the practical route and indulge her with a new pan from one of our favorite brands.
    — Brie Schwartz, Glamour, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of indulge
Noun
  • While in Africa, Suchet visits Kimberley, the site of diamond mines (and where Rhodes founded the De Beers diamond company), and the plunder and extraction are so clear.
    — Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
  • The revisionists aim to create an environment primed for expansion and plunder.
    — HAL BRANDS, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
Definition of plunder
Verb
  • The transition has been marred by ongoing disagreements, political tensions, infighting and what security experts describe as a lack of a cohesive strategy for fighting the gangs.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2025
  • What Happened On March 8? The SAT, a cornerstone of college admissions, was marred by technical and administrative issues on test day.
    — Scott White, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of mar
Verb
  • The second phase was meant to pave the way to an end to the war, although the truce disintegrated when Israeli forces resumed airstrikes on Gaza.
    — Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2025
  • The piece was about the cycle of life—the apple would rot and eventually disintegrate.
    — David Sheff, ARTnews.com, 24 Mar. 2025
Definition of disintegrate

Browse Nearby Words

splutters
spoil
spoilage
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Cite this Entry

“Spoil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spoil. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.

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