spoilt

spoilt — adjective

1. Someone — especially a child — who is spoilt behaves badly and shows a difficult

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

Someone — especially a child — who is spoilt behaves badly and shows a difficult character because adults give them whatever they request and do not set limits on their behaviour.

Example

The neighbours called Felix a spoilt brat when he screamed for toys in the shop.

attributive use: spoilt brat

Romi's parents gave in to demands, so she acts like a spoilt kid at school.

Common collocations
  • spoilt child
  • spoilt brat
  • spoilt rotten
Synonyms
  • pampered

    focuses on being treated with excessive care rather than the resulting bad behaviour

  • indulged

    milder than 'spoilt'; emphasises parents willingly satisfying wishes without necessarily causing behavioural problems

  • overindulged

    more formal; given too much of something enjoyable

Antonyms
  • well-behaved

    describes a child who follows rules and acts politely

  • disciplined

    describes a child raised with clear rules and boundaries

Grammar Patterns

a spoilt [noun]

be spoilt

grow up spoilt

Usage Note

This is the British English spelling; American English uses 'spoiled'. The word carries a strongly negative judgement — it describes a child whose behaviour has been harmed by overindulgence, not simply a child who receives many gifts.

Common Mistakes

He grew up spoilt in a good way, with lots of love from his family.
He grew up loved and cherished by his family.
'spoilt' has a negative meaning about bad behaviour; use other words for positive attention.
Thank you for the gifts — I feel so spoilt!
Thank you for the gifts
I feel so lucky / grateful!' — Using 'spoilt' to express gratitude sounds unnatural; the word implies a negative consequence.

2. Spoilt food is no longer fresh or safe to eat because it has been kept for too l

2.adjectiveA2
Definition

Spoilt food is no longer fresh or safe to eat because it has been kept for too long or stored in the wrong way.

Example

The milk smelt sour, so Dario poured the spoilt milk down the sink.

attributive use: spoilt milk

Kemi threw away the spoilt leftovers that had been in the fridge for two weeks.

Common collocations
  • spoilt milk
  • spoilt meat
  • spoilt leftovers
  • go spoilt
  • turn spoilt
Synonyms
  • rotten

    stronger than 'spoilt'; suggests visible decay rather than simple staleness

  • off

    more informal; 'the milk is off'

  • sour

    specific to dairy or fermented food that has turned acidic

Antonyms
  • fresh

    recently harvested, made, or purchased; still good to eat

Grammar Patterns

[food] is spoilt

[food] has gone spoilt

spoilt [food]

Usage Note

This sense appears more often in predicative position ('the milk is spoilt') than attributive ('spoilt milk'). British English uses 'spoilt'; American English uses 'spoiled'. To sound natural, use 'go spoilt' or 'turn spoilt' for gradual decay.

Common Mistakes

I left the milk out overnight and now it's spoilt, but I'll still drink it.
I left the milk out overnight and now it's spoilt, so I'll throw it away.
spoilt food is unsafe to eat; do not use 'spoilt' for food that is still edible.
The cheese smells strong — is it spoilt?' (for blue cheese or aged cheese).
The cheese smells strong
is that normal for this type?' — many strong-smelling cheeses are meant to be eaten and are not spoilt.
Idioms

be spoilt for choice

idiom

To have so many good options that it is difficult to decide which one to pick.

With thirty different courses available, Samir was spoilt for choice.

The menu had so many delicious dishes that we were spoilt for choice.

Word family

  • spoil
    verbB1
  • spoiler
    nounB2
  • spoiling
    adjectiveB2
  • spoiled
    adjectiveB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe a situation where someone — usually a child — receives more than is good for them. 'Spoilt' (or 'spoiled') is the most common and carries a strong negative judgement about the child's resulting behaviour: a spoilt child is rude, demanding, and ungrateful. 'Pampered' focuses on the treatment rather than the outcome; a pampered child is given luxury and constant attention but may or may not behave badly. 'Indulged' is milder — it means parents willingly satisfy a child's wishes without necessarily causing behavioural problems. 'Overindulged' is more formal and emphasises the excess of treats or gifts. In everyday conversation, a parent might say 'Don't spoil him!' as a warning, but 'Don't pamper him!' sounds less severe and more about comfort than character.

spoilt ↗pamperedindulgedoverindulged

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • completely spoilt
  • thoroughly spoilt
  • utterly spoilt

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Spoilt is the British English past participle and past tense of the verb 'spoil', which entered English from Old French 'espoillier' (to strip, plunder), from Latin 'spoliare' (to strip, rob). The meaning shifted from 'to strip of value' to 'to damage' and then, by the 17th century, to 'to harm a child's character by overindulgence'. The use for food that has decayed developed around the same period.