spoil
spoil — verb
1. to damage or reduce the enjoyment, interest, or attractiveness of something, mak
to damage or reduce the enjoyment, interest, or attractiveness of something, making it less good or pleasant than it was before.
The sudden rain spoiled our picnic at the park.
spoil + event/occasion
Vivek did not want to spoil the surprise for his sister.
One loud phone call can spoil the mood of a whole movie.
The new building spoiled the view from the old café.
Jessica asked her friends not to spoil the ending of the book.
spoil + [the ending / the surprise / the fun]
- spoil the fun
- spoil the surprise
- spoil the view
- spoil someone's pleasure
- spoil the mood
- enhance
to increase the enjoyment or quality of something
Grammar Patterns
spoil + noun phrase
Usage Note
Frequently used with nouns like 'fun', 'surprise', 'view', 'mood', 'ending', and 'pleasure'. The object is often an experience or an aesthetic quality.
Common Mistakes
2. when food becomes too old or warm to eat safely, because bacteria or mould have
when food becomes too old or warm to eat safely, because bacteria or mould have started to grow on it.
The milk will spoil if you leave it out all day.
intransitive: milk / meat / fruit spoil
Bao forgot about the fish in the fridge, and it spoiled quickly.
Without a fridge, fresh vegetables spoil within two or three days.
The cheese had spoiled, so Eshe threw it in the bin.
Lin left the cooked rice on the counter overnight, and by morning it had spoiled.
intransitive with time condition
- milk spoils
- meat spoils
- fruit spoils
- food spoils quickly
- left to spoil
- keep
food stays fresh and edible
Grammar Patterns
spoil (no object)
be spoiled (passive)
Usage Note
Commonly used with food items such as 'milk', 'meat', 'fish', 'fruit', 'vegetables', and 'cheese'. Often paired with a time or temperature condition ('if…', 'without a fridge…'). The passive form 'be spoiled' is also frequent: 'the meat was spoiled'.
Common Mistakes
3. to mark a voting paper incorrectly so that election officials do not count it, e
to mark a voting paper incorrectly so that election officials do not count it, either as a deliberate protest or by accident.
Hari deliberately spoiled his ballot to protest the election.
deliberate protest
Nearly three percent of voters spoiled their ballots in the last local election.
spoil + ballot / voting paper
The officer explained that marking two names would spoil the voting paper.
A spoiled ballot is not counted toward any candidate's total.
passive: spoiled ballot
- spoil a ballot
- spoil a voting paper
- spoil one's ballot
- spoiled ballot paper
- invalidate
more formal and general; used for any document, not just ballots
- cast
to vote in a valid way
Grammar Patterns
spoil + (ballot / voting paper)
Usage Note
Almost always used with 'ballot', 'ballot paper', or 'voting paper'. The act can be intentional (protest) or accidental (error). This sense is most common in election-related contexts.
4. to treat someone in a very kind or generous way, often by giving them gifts, spe
to treat someone in a very kind or generous way, often by giving them gifts, special food, or extra attention to make them feel happy.
Gabriela spoiled her mother with flowers and a homemade cake.
spoil + person + with + gifts
The hotel spoiled its guests with free massages and champagne.
On her birthday, Indra decided to spoil herself with a day at the spa.
spoil + reflexive + with
Zayd spoiled his niece by taking her to the zoo and buying her toys.
spoil by doing special things
Christopher loves to spoil his visiting friends with fresh seafood and live piano music.
spoil + person + with + treats
- spoil someone with
- spoil oneself
- spoil a guest
- spoil a child (with treats)
- neglect
to fail to care for or pay attention to someone
Grammar Patterns
spoil + person + (with + noun phrase)
spoil + reflexive
Usage Note
Unlike sense 5 (OVERINDULGE CHILD), this sense has a positive or neutral tone when applied to adults — it means 'pamper' or 'treat lavishly'. Can be used reflexively ('spoil oneself').
Common Mistakes
5. to raise a child by granting every request and never enforcing boundaries, causi
to raise a child by granting every request and never enforcing boundaries, causing the child to become demanding and lacking in respect for others.
Some parents worry that they will spoil their child if they give in too often.
spoil a child by giving in
Wren's grandmother spoiled him so much that he never learned to share.
The teacher noticed that many spoiled children had trouble following classroom rules.
spoiled children + behaviour problems
The family's youngest child was so spoiled that he refused to share any of his toys.
passive: was spoiled
Élise refused to buy her son another toy because she did not want to spoil him.
- spoil a child
- spoil a kid
- spoiled brat
- spoiled rotten
- badly spoiled
- discipline
to teach rules and self-control
Grammar Patterns
spoil + child / kid
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 4 (TREAT GENEROUSLY). This sense carries a negative judgement about parenting and the child's behaviour. The focus is on the harmful result — lack of discipline and respect — not on the generosity itself.
Common Mistakes
6. to take valuable things by force from a place, especially during a war or invasi
to take valuable things by force from a place, especially during a war or invasion; to rob or strip a location of its possessions.
The invading army spoiled the village of all its gold and food.
spoil + place + of + possessions
Ancient records describe how the temple was spoiled by enemy soldiers.
passive: was spoiled by
The pirates spoiled the coastal town and sailed away before dawn.
The medieval trading city of Bruges was spoiled three times by different armies over a century.
passive: city + was spoiled by
- spoil a village
- spoil a city
- spoil a temple
- spoil of everything
- protect
to keep a place safe from harm or theft
Grammar Patterns
spoil + location / place
Usage Note
This sense is archaic or literary in modern English. It appears mainly in historical texts, religious writing, or formal accounts of warfare. The more common modern word for this meaning is 'plunder' or 'loot'.
7. to be very eager or desperate to fight, argue, or cause conflict, usually becaus
to be very eager or desperate to fight, argue, or cause conflict, usually because of pent-up frustration or anger.
After losing the match, the angry player was spoiling for a fight.
spoiling for a fight — fixed phrase
Yael had a bad day and seemed to be spoiling for an argument with anyone nearby.
spoiling for an argument
The group of young men stood outside the bar, shouting at passers-by and clearly spoiling for trouble.
spoiling for trouble
When Hari gets frustrated at work, he often comes home spoiling for a quarrel.
- spoiling for a fight
- spoiling for an argument
- spoiling for trouble
- spoiling for a quarrel
- ask for trouble
more general; implies seeking problems, not necessarily physical conflict
- look for a fight
more direct; same meaning but less idiomatic
- avoid conflict
to actively stay away from disagreement or fighting
Grammar Patterns
spoil for (a fight / trouble / an argument)
Usage Note
Only used in the continuous form 'spoiling for' with a noun phrase that indicates conflict: 'a fight', 'an argument', 'trouble', 'a quarrel'. It does not take other objects or appear in simple tenses ('*he spoiled for a fight').
Common Mistakes
To be very eager to start a fight or argument with someone.
After losing the match, Tom was spoiling for a fight with anyone.
Why are you spoiling for a fight? Let's just talk calmly.
To ruin something good by refusing to spend a small amount of money or effort on an important small part.
He didn't fix the leak, spoiling the ship for a ha'p'orth of tar.
Don't spoil the ship for a ha'p'orth of tar; just buy the right part.
When too many people try to work on the same task, the result is usually poor.
With five people editing the report, too many cooks spoiled the broth.
Let's assign one leader; too many cooks spoil the broth.
spoil — noun
1. the earth, stones, or rock that is removed from a hole or trench when digging, f
the earth, stones, or rock that is removed from a hole or trench when digging, for example during building work or mining.
The builders piled the spoil from the foundation hole beside the road.
spoil from digging
Trucks carried the spoil away from the tunnel entrance every evening.
spoil removed by truck
The mining company dumped the spoil on empty land behind the hill.
Workers piled the hardened spoil from the tunnel dig into a large heap behind the site.
spoil heap — common compound
- spoil from
- spoil heap
- spoil tip
- dump spoil
- remove spoil
- excavated material
more technical and formal
- debris
broader; includes rubble and waste, not specifically from digging
Grammar Patterns
uncountable noun
Usage Note
Used as an uncountable noun in construction, mining, and archaeology. 'Spoil heap' or 'spoil tip' are common compounds referring to piles of discarded excavated material.
2. valuable items, money, or advantages that are taken by force during a war, or ga
valuable items, money, or advantages that are taken by force during a war, or gained as a result of winning or being in a powerful position.
The soldiers divided the spoils of war among themselves.
the spoils of war — fixed phrase
Jessica enjoyed the spoils of her victory, including prize money and praise.
the spoils of victory / success
The winning team shared the spoils of the championship, including prize money and a trophy.
the spoils of + competition
Ancient kings often displayed the spoils they brought back from battle.
- spoils of war
- spoils of victory
- share the spoils
- divide the spoils
- the spoils of success
Grammar Patterns
the spoils (of + war / victory / success)
Usage Note
Almost always used in the plural form 'spoils'. The phrase 'the spoils of war' is a fixed expression. In modern contexts, 'spoils' can also refer metaphorically to rewards gained through effort or success.
3. the physical damage or loss of quality that has happened to something that was o
the physical damage or loss of quality that has happened to something that was once in better condition.
A leaky pipe caused spoil to the wooden floorboards in the old library.
cause spoil to — uncountable
The careless scribe caused spoil to several pages of the medieval manuscript.
cause spoil to + object
The flood caused considerable spoil to the ground floor of the village library.
cause spoil to — formal construction
Years of neglect resulted in the spoil of a once beautiful garden.
- spoil to
- cause spoil
- result in spoil
- trail of spoil
- damage
the standard, everyday word; broader and more common
- harm
can be physical or abstract; very common
- impairment
formal; often used in medical or technical contexts
- improvement
the act of making something better
Grammar Patterns
uncountable noun
Usage Note
This sense is rare and somewhat formal. In everyday speech, words like 'damage', 'harm', or 'ruin' are far more common for this meaning. It is occasionally found in literary or critical writing.
4. the act or process of stealing property by force, especially during war or confl
the act or process of stealing property by force, especially during war or conflict; violent seizure of goods.
The spoil of several coastal villages by the invading army was condemned by European diplomats.
spoil of + place — act of plunder
History books describe the spoil of the city by the invading forces.
The Hague Convention was created to prevent the spoil of cultural treasures during armed conflict.
international law context
The general ordered his men to stop the spoil once the town surrendered.
- spoil of
- prevent spoil
- condemn spoil
- spoil by force
- protection
keeping something safe from harm or theft
Grammar Patterns
uncountable noun
Usage Note
This sense is archaic or very formal, found mainly in historical, legal, or religious writing about warfare. In modern English, 'plunder' or 'looting' are preferred for the same idea.
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
All four words describe making something worse, but they differ in intensity and scope. 'Spoil' reduces pleasure or quality without necessarily destroying the thing entirely — a spoiled picnic still happened, it was just less enjoyable. 'Ruin' is stronger and more final, often implying something is now worthless or cannot be recovered: rain ruins crops, not just a picnic. 'Wreck' is informal and forceful, suggesting violent, total destruction — a reckless driver can wreck a car or an event. 'Damage' is neutral and broad; it covers any physical or abstract harm, no matter how small, and is the most appropriate word for gradual or minor harm. 'Mar' is formal and literary, meaning to flaw or blemish the surface of something: a scratch can mar a painting, or a single awkward moment can mar an otherwise perfect evening. For learners: if the fun was reduced but the event happened, use 'spoil'. If it was completely destroyed, use 'ruin'.
Common collocations
Nouns
- fun, view, surprise, mood, pleasure, ending
- food, milk, meat, vegetables, fruit
- ballot, voting paper
Adverbs
- badly spoiled
- completely spoiled
- totally spoiled
- easily spoiled
- deliberately spoiled
Phrases
- spoiling for a fight
- spoils of war
- spoil someone rotten
- spoil the fun
Prepositions
- spoil of
- spoil with
- spoil for
- spoil by
Etymology
The word 'spoil' entered English through Old French 'espoillier', which came from Latin 'spoliāre', meaning 'to strip, rob, or plunder'. The Latin root 'spolium' originally referred to the skin or hide stripped from a hunted animal, and later came to mean anything taken by force. The earliest English uses (13th century) all related to plundering and theft. The sense of 'food going bad' appeared in the 1600s, probably by comparison to something being 'stripped' of its freshness. The meaning of 'overindulging a child' developed in the 1700s as a metaphor for harming someone's character through excessive giving.