1
as in to taint
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 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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spoil
Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Jan. 2025
Typically, the agency said, the cartel sells its spoils on Amazon, eBay or other digital platforms or to amenable California retailers.
—Christina Coulter, Fox News, 29 Jan. 2025
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
Noun
Combined with the Roman coins used as military pay, the entire stash strongly resembles spoils of war.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Jan. 2025
Typically, the agency said, the cartel sells its spoils on Amazon, eBay or other digital platforms or to amenable California retailers.
—Christina Coulter, Fox News, 29 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
Noun
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Using power tools, the group pierced the store’s vault and other secure storage areas over several hours before fleeing with millions of dollars in loot.—
Max Levy,
The Denver Post,
21 Feb. 2025
-
Key highlights of the new season include these: Crime City: A brand-new urban location has been designed for heists, loot and chaos.—
Tom Rogers,
Newsweek,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Digital evidence may have been tainted after it was removed from the crime scene by prominent Pennsylvania Judge James Schwartzman, the uncle of Greenberg's fiancé.—
Michael Ruiz,
Fox News,
16 Feb. 2025
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Crew and passenger behavior, breadth of activities, weather, operations — these are just some of the things that can taint love when on an ocean or river cruise.—
David Dickstein,
Orange County Register,
5 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The bag had maggots inside and inside the suitcase police found the decomposing body of Johnson’s 7-year-old niece, Joshlyn Marie James Johnson, according to the news outlet.—
Jennifer Rodriguez,
Miami Herald,
11 Feb. 2025
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Read Next Florida Surgeon removed wrong organ, killing man — and a cover-up followed, Florida suit says January 31, 2025 5:13 PM Read Next National Hospital left mom’s body to decompose in unrefrigerated room, suit says.—
Mike Stunson,
Kansas City Star,
4 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The Hoover Desk During former President Herbert Hoover's presidency in 1929, a fire severely damaged the West Wing of the White House, including the Oval Office.—
Greta Cross,
USA TODAY,
22 Feb. 2025
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Despite initially being told his bone had been damaged and his arm would probably need to be amputated, doctors managed to save it.—
Becca Longmire,
People.com,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The national community could be knit together without indulging the chauvinism of belligerence.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
The New Yorker,
19 Feb. 2025
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And sure, while indulging ourselves with a $400 tin of caviar isn’t exactly akin to buying a tube of lipstick for most of us, the sentiment is valid.—
Allyson Reedy,
The Denver Post,
19 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Swiss zoologists, botanists, engineers, priests and nuns from missionary societies, merchants and rentier businesspeople, warlords and mercenaries ventured out to participate in plunder and looting as adjuncts or sidekicks of the stronger world powers and financiers.—
Percy Zvomuya,
Artforum,
1 Nov. 2024
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Major museums in the West devoted to the presentation and preservation of art objects have fitfully begun acknowledging their ties to histories of violence and plunder.—
Leslie Camhi,
The New Yorker,
11 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Audio issues occasionally marred the broadcast, including brief interruptions of Fonda’s speech.—
Jake Coyle,
Orlando Sentinel,
24 Feb. 2025
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But a New York Times analysis of the $55 billion in savings claimed by DOGE found that the math is marred with accounting errors, incorrect assumptions, outdated data and other mistakes.—
Talmon Joseph Smith,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Trust in information, identities and institutions is disintegrating, raising questions about their relevance in the future.—
Dan Yerushalmi,
Forbes,
18 Feb. 2025
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Archaeologists also found stone casings and nails, which suggests the children were once buried in wooden coffins that have disintegrated over time.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
13 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spoil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spoil. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
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