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Definition of spoilnext
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spoil

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noun

as in loot
valuables stolen or taken by force the bandits escaped with their lives but not with the spoils

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun spoil differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of spoil are booty, loot, plunder, prize, and spoils. While all these words mean "something taken from another by force or craft," spoil, more commonly spoils, applies to what belongs by right or custom to the victor in war or political contest.

the spoils of political victory

When would booty be a good substitute for spoil?

Although the words booty and spoil have much in common, booty implies plunder to be shared among confederates.

thieves dividing up their booty

When is it sensible to use loot instead of spoil?

The words loot and spoil are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, loot applies especially to what is taken from victims of a catastrophe.

picked through the ruins for loot

When is plunder a more appropriate choice than spoil?

The synonyms plunder and spoil are sometimes interchangeable, but plunder applies to what is taken not only in war but in robbery, banditry, grafting, or swindling.

a bootlegger's plunder

In what contexts can prize take the place of spoil?

While in some cases nearly identical to spoil, prize applies to spoils captured on the high seas or territorial waters of the enemy.

the wartime right of seizing prizes at sea

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of spoil
Verb
Lineage also has contracted with Orkin and Signal Restoration Services to try to keep pests from being drawn to the spoiling food. Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026 The service Maldivian service at its sunniest—upbeat, amiable and intuitive enough to know when guests want to be spoiled or left alone. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 June 2026
Noun
Despite being outnumbered 50-to-1 by the Five Families of the Italian mafia, the Westies’ legendary brutality and cunning have given them the leverage necessary to share the spoils through a fragile détente. Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 17 June 2026 For chronic house flippers Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, the spoils of Hollywood have long been rivaled by the riches of real estate. Ashley Baker, Air Mail, 6 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for spoil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spoil
Verb
  • That experience is quickly tainted, however, once dullness and yellowing set into the fabrics.
    Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 1 July 2026
  • Murdaugh’s attorneys appealed the convictions, saying the trial was tainted by the county clerk Becky Hill’s inappropriate comments to jurors implying his guilt.
    Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • The Yolo County Central Landfill will build a new system that will convert methane from decomposing waste into renewable natural gas, the county announced Tuesday.
    Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 30 June 2026
  • The ocean becomes a creamy expanse splotched with brown mats of decomposing algae, according to photos shared by Abrams.
    Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • Some of these storms could be severe and deliver damaging wind gusts, but any thunderstorm will contain lightning — a major danger for any outdoor activities, especially for anyone trying to escape the heat in or on the water.
    Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • Diseases that damage the kidneys and impair their ability to filter blood were blamed for 55,081 deaths in 2024.
    Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • At the same time, centrists swung against a left that had indulged its purist tendencies.
    Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 27 June 2026
  • Throughout the evening, Angela eagerly seeks Hawk and Piña’s approval, while Joe refuses to indulge them.
    Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
Noun
  • Early reports suggest that all areas of Woods are juiced with loot, so get out there and get searching.
    Mike Stubbs, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
  • Toek Tik did not know exactly where his loot ended up after leaving Cambodia.
    Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 17 June 2026
Verb
  • The World Cup group stage was marred for fans whose experiences mirrored Ramroop’s, leading FIFA and third-party platforms like StubHub to point fingers at each other amid the fallout.
    Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 29 June 2026
  • His previous loan at Girona was marred by injuries, impacting his World Cup aspirations.
    Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • That changed in April 2023 when unknowing construction workers unceremoniously removed a disintegrating Pinky from its eyrie.
    Ryan Steven Green, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026
  • The experiments have shown how a self-repair mechanism enables the spindle to stabilize itself under force and avoid disintegrating.
    Jake Buehler, Quanta Magazine, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • On Sunday, Russia bombarded Ukraine’s capital city of Kyiv with dozens of missiles and hundreds of strike drones, killing at least 11 and injuring scores more, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and media reports.
    Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 7 July 2026
  • The shootings, which also injured four people, occurred at two Fourth of July block parties about two miles apart, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
    Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Spoil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spoil. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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