spoil

verb
UK: /spɔɪl/
US: /spɔɪl/

  1. To become bad or not fit to eat or use, often because of being kept for too long.

    1. The milk will spoil if you don't put it in the fridge soon. [ ] [ ]
    2. Without proper preservation, the fruit will quickly spoil in the hot sun. [ ] [ ]

  2. To harm or damage something.

    1. The rain might spoil our picnic plans for tomorrow. [ ] [ ]
    2. A single mistake can spoil years of hard work and dedication to the project. [ ] [ ]

  3. To give a child everything they ask for, leading to bad behavior.

    1. Her parents spoil her terribly, buying her everything she wants. [ ] [ ]
    2. It's important not to spoil children too much, or they won't learn the value of things. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

plunder damage decay loot ruin
spoil noun

  1. Goods that are stolen or taken by force.

    1. The soldiers divided the spoil after the battle. [ ] [ ]
    2. The pirates shared the spoil they had taken from the merchant ship. [ ] [ ]
spoil adjective

  1. Relating to a child who is given too much and behaves badly as a result.

    1. He's acting like a spoil brat because he didn't get what he wanted. [ ] [ ]
    2. The spoil child demanded a new toy despite having many others at home. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "spoil" in English means: To become bad or not fit to eat or use, often because of being kept for too long., To harm or damage something., To give a child everything they ask for, leading to bad behavior..

The phonetic transcription of "spoil" is /spɔɪl/ in British English and /spɔɪl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "spoil": plunder, damage, decay, loot, ruin.

Example usage of "spoil": "The milk will spoil if you don't put it in the fridge soon.". More examples on the page.