Spoil — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈspȯi(-ə)l/

Meaning & Definition of Spoil

Spoil (verb)

  1. to damage seriously, ruin
  2. to impair the quality or effect of
  3. to impair the disposition or character of by overindulgence or excessive praise

Spoil (noun)

  1. plunder taken from an enemy in war or from a victim in robbery, loot
  2. something valuable or desirable gained through special effort or opportunism or in return for a favor —usually used in plural
  3. public offices made the property of a successful party —usually used in plural

Spoil (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable

    "too much coddling will spoil the child"

    similar: blemish, darken, mar, poison, stain, taint, tarnish, touch, vitiate
    related: begrime, besmear, besmirch, blacken, blur, cloud, dirty, discolor, pollute, smear, smirch, smudge, smut, soil, sully, tar, abase, cheapen, debase, degrade, demean, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, foul, lower, shame, sink, bastardize, corrupt, debauch, demoralize, deprave, pervert, subvert, color, distort, twist
    near: cleanse, purify, dignify, elevate, ennoble, enshrine, glorify, hallow, magnify, uplift

  2. to go through decomposition

    "the meat has spoiled"

    similar: break down, corrupt, decay, decompose, disintegrate, fester, foul, mold, molder, perish (chiefly British), putrefy, rot, fall apart, go to seed
    related: sour, turn, turn off (British), contaminate, defile, pollute, taint, addle, curdle, ferment, mortify, rust, crumble, decline, degenerate, descend, deteriorate, dilapidate, sink, wither
    near: age, develop, grow, mature, ripen, refresh, renew, restore, cleanse, purify, assemble, compose, integrate, ameliorate, better, improve, meliorate

  3. to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of

    "know when to stop, for an unnecessary brushstroke can spoil a painted portrait"

    similar: blemish, bloody, break, compromise, crab, cripple, cross (up), damage, deface, disfigure, endamage, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, injure, mar, vitiate
    related: deteriorate, enervate, enfeeble, undermine, weaken, erode, scour, wash out, wear (away), blight, tarnish, dent, ding, dint, botch, gum (up), queer, lacerate, wound, disable, hamstring, lame, maim, mangle, mutilate, torment, torture, annihilate, bang up, bash, batter, clobber, crush, dash, decimate, demolish, desolate, destroy, devastate, do in, pulverize, raze, ruin, scourge, shatter, smash, tear down, total, waste, wipe out, wreck
    opposite: doctor, fix, mend, patch, rebuild, recondition, reconstruct, renovate, repair, revamp
    near: cure, heal, help, rectify, rehabilitate, remedy, edit, remodel, revise, ameliorate, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate, perfect, refine

  4. to treat with great or excessive care

    "when they were newlyweds, the wife tended to spoil her husband, but she soon got over that"

    similar: baby, cocker, coddle, cosset, dandle, indulge, mollycoddle, nurse, pamper, wet-nurse
    related: cater (to), humor, content, delight, gladden, gratify, mother, oblige, please, satisfy, appease, mollify, pacify, placate, soothe
    opposite: abuse, ill-treat, ill-use, maltreat, manhandle, mishandle, mistreat, misuse
    near: control, discipline, restrain, oppress, neglect, overlook, slight, molest, outrage, violate, harass, harm, hurt, injure, persecute, torment, torture, victimize

Spoil (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. valuables stolen or taken by force

    "the bandits escaped with their lives but not with the spoils"

    similar: booty, loot, pillage, plunder, swag
    related: prize, catch, haul, take, treasure, pilferage, windfall

Related Entry: Spoil (for) (verb)

Spoil (for) is a different word from Spoil. The synonyms below are for spoil (for), not for spoil.

  1. as in want, pine (for)

    similar: ache (for), covet, crave, desiderate, desire, die (for), hanker (for or after), hunger (for), itch (for), jones (for) (slang), long (for), lust (for or after), pant (after), pine (for), repine (for), salivate (for), sigh (for), thirst (for), want, wish (for), yearn (for), yen (for), adore, delight (in), dig, enjoy, fancy, groove (on), like, love, relish, revel (in), admire, appreciate, cherish, prize, treasure, value, favor, prefer
    opposite: abhor, abominate, despise, detest, execrate, hate, loathe, decline, refuse, reject, spurn

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Spoil

The most common words with a similar meaning to Spoil:

Chiefly British: perish
blemish, darken, mar, poison, stain, taint, tarnish, touch, vitiate, break down, corrupt, decay, decompose, disintegrate, fester, foul, mold, molder, putrefy, rot, bloody, break, compromise, crab, cripple, cross (up), damage, deface, disfigure, endamage, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, injure, baby, cocker, coddle, cosset, dandle

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Spoil

Words with the opposite meaning of Spoil:

doctor, fix, mend, patch, rebuild, recondition, reconstruct, renovate, repair, revamp, abuse, ill-treat, ill-use, maltreat, manhandle, mishandle, mistreat, misuse

Related Words for Spoil

begrime, besmear, besmirch, blacken, blur, cloud, dirty, discolor, pollute, smear, smirch, smudge, smut, soil, sully, tar, abase, cheapen, debase, degrade, demean, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, lower, shame, sink, bastardize, debauch, demoralize

Near Antonyms of Spoil

cleanse, purify, dignify, elevate, ennoble, enshrine, glorify, hallow, magnify, uplift, age, develop, grow, mature, ripen, refresh, renew, restore, assemble, compose, integrate, ameliorate, better, improve, meliorate, cure, heal, help, rectify, rehabilitate

Word Forms of Spoil

Inflections: spoiled, spoilt, spoiling

Derived words: spoilable (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Spoil

Middle English, from Anglo-French espuiller, espoiller, from Latin spoliare to strip of natural covering, despoil, from spolium skin, hide spill:1

First known use: 14th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Spoil

Frequently Asked Questions about Spoil

What does "Spoil" mean?

"Spoil" means to damage seriously, ruin. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to damage seriously, ruin. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Spoil"?

Other words for "Spoil" include blemish, darken, mar, poison, stain, taint, tarnish and touch. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Spoil" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Spoil"?

There are 177 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Spoil". Common alternatives include blemish, darken, mar, poison, stain, taint, tarnish, touch, vitiate and break down.

What is the opposite of "Spoil"?

Antonyms of "Spoil" include doctor, fix, mend, patch, rebuild, recondition, reconstruct and renovate. Near antonyms include cleanse, purify, dignify and elevate.

How do you use "Spoil" in a sentence?

Examples of "Spoil" in a sentence: "too much coddling will spoil the child"; "the meat has spoiled"; "know when to stop, for an unnecessary brushstroke can spoil a painted portrait".

Is "Spoil" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Spoil" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Spoil" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Spoil" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Spoil"?

"Spoil" is pronounced /ˈspȯi(-ə)l/.