ENGLISH
REFERENCE

spoil

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ˈspɔɪɫ// UK //spˈɔɪl// spoil Archaic General-service

v. to ruin something or make it less good. It can also mean giving a child too much of what they want so they become selfish.

v. to diminish or destroy the value, quality, or pleasure of something; to harm the character of a child by excessive indulgence. Transitive — requires a direct object.


SIMPLE

The rain will spoil our picnic today.

CONTEXTUAL

I do not want to spoil the movie for you by telling you the ending.

COMPLEX

The developer's decision to build a high-rise hotel threatened to spoil the pristine view that had drawn tourists to the coastal village for decades.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English spoilen, spuylen, borrowed from Old French espoillier, espollier, espuler, from Latin spoliāre (“pillage, ruin, spoil”).

Usage

The verb is transitive and takes a direct object. In the context of food, it is often used intransitively to mean 'to decay'.

Pitfall

The milk was spoiled by the heat.The milk spoiled in the heat.When referring to food going bad, 'spoil' is usually used intransitively rather than in the passive voice.

Idioms4 entries

© 2026 English Reference