SPOIL Synonyms: 247 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

spoil 1 of 2

verb

ˈspȯi(-ə)l

Definition of spoil

as in to taint

to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable too much coddling will spoil the child

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to decompose

to go through decomposition the meat has spoiled

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to damage

to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of know when to stop, for an unnecessary brushstroke can spoil a painted portrait

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to indulge

to treat with great or excessive care when they were newlyweds, the wife tended to spoil her husband, but she soon got over that

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

spoil

2 of 2

noun

as in loot

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

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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

Mexico’s primetime meeting with England was all but designed to serve up big TV numbers, as the Sunday night slot is largely unobstructed by potential audience-spoiling distractions. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 2 July 2026 And the Belmont Stakes was run at Aqueduct for five years in the 1960s, with possible Triple Crowns being spoiled in 1964 and 1966. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 29 June 2026

Noun

Leaving the home in hot weather with no ventilation or cooling can damage electronics, spoil food, warp wood, and create humid conditions in which mold can thrive. — Mallory Carra, The Spruce, 28 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

Definition of taint

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

Definition of decompose

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

Definition of damage

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

Definition of mar

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

Definition of disintegrate

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

Definition of injure

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splutters

spoil

spoilage

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“Spoil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spoil. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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