Meaning & Definition of Spoil in English
English⟶
Spoil
/spɔɪl/
noun
1. (usually plural) valuables taken by violence (especially in war)
- "To the victor belong the spoils of the enemy"
synonym:
- spoil
2. The act of spoiling something by causing damage to it
- "Her spoiling my dress was deliberate"
synonym:
- spoil,
- spoiling,
- spoilage
3. The act of stripping and taking by force
synonym:
- spoil,
- spoliation,
- spoilation,
- despoilation,
- despoilment,
- despoliation
verb
1. Make a mess of, destroy or ruin
- "I botched the dinner and we had to eat out"
- "The pianist screwed up the difficult passage in the second movement"
synonym:
- botch,
- bodge,
- bumble,
- fumble,
- botch up,
- muff,
- blow,
- flub,
- screw up,
- ball up,
- spoil,
- muck up,
- bungle,
- fluff,
- bollix,
- bollix up,
- bollocks,
- bollocks up,
- bobble,
- mishandle,
- louse up,
- foul up,
- mess up,
- fuck up
2. Become unfit for consumption or use
- "The meat must be eaten before it spoils"
synonym:
- spoil,
- go bad
3. Alter from the original
synonym:
- corrupt,
- spoil
4. Treat with excessive indulgence
- "Grandparents often pamper the children"
- "Let's not mollycoddle our students!"
synonym:
- pamper,
- featherbed,
- cosset,
- cocker,
- baby,
- coddle,
- mollycoddle,
- spoil,
- indulge
5. Hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
- "What ultimately frustrated every challenger was ruth's amazing september surge"
- "Foil your opponent"
synonym:
- thwart,
- queer,
- spoil,
- scotch,
- foil,
- cross,
- frustrate,
- baffle,
- bilk
6. Have a strong desire or urge to do something
- "She is itching to start the project"
- "He is spoiling for a fight"
synonym:
- itch,
- spoil
7. Destroy and strip of its possession
- "The soldiers raped the beautiful country"
synonym:
- rape,
- spoil,
- despoil,
- violate,
- plunder
8. Make imperfect
- "Nothing marred her beauty"
synonym:
- mar,
- impair,
- spoil,
- deflower,
- vitiate
Examples of using
Don't spoil your appetite.
Make a spoon or spoil a horn.
Too many cooks spoil the broth.