1
a
: one that spoils
b
: one (such as a political candidate) having little or no chance of winning but capable of depriving a rival of success
2
a
: a long narrow plate along the upper surface of an airplane wing that may be raised for reducing lift and increasing drag see airplane illustration
b
: an air deflector on an automobile to reduce the tendency to lift off the road at high speeds
3
: information about the plot of a movie or TV program that can spoil a viewer's sense of surprise or suspense
also
: a person who discloses such information
Examples of spoiler in a Sentence
The review contains a few spoilers, so don't read it if you haven't seen the movie.
Recent Examples on the Web
Major spoilers below the gallery.
—
ArsTechnica, 6 Apr. 2026
The Rangers played spoiler with Jonathan Quick stopping 31 of 32 shots in his return from injury.
—CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
This article contains spoilers about The Drama.
—Mike Miller, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Apr. 2026
Without getting into spoilers, much of the tension rests on whether certain protagonists get caught.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spoiler
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ArsTechnica, 6 Apr. 2026
The Rangers played spoiler with Jonathan Quick stopping 31 of 32 shots in his return from injury.
—CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
This article contains spoilers about The Drama.
—Mike Miller, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Apr. 2026
Without getting into spoilers, much of the tension rests on whether certain protagonists get caught.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spoiler
Cite this Entry
“Spoiler.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spoiler. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spoiler
noun
spoil·er
ˈspȯi-lər 
1
a
: one that spoils
b
: one (as a political candidate) having little or no chance of winning but capable of depriving a rival of success
2
: a device (as on an airplane or automobile) used to disrupt airflow and decrease lift
3
: information about the plot of a book, motion picture, or television program that can spoil a reader's or a viewer's sense of surprise or suspense
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