# spoil

/ˈspɔɪɫ/ (US) · /spˈɔɪl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/spoil
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to ruin or damage

verb · CEFR B1

to ruin something or make it less enjoyable.

For teachers: to impair the quality or value of something; to render something undesirable or unusable.

- The sudden rain shower started to spoil our picnic in the park.
- The construction of the high-rise apartment block threatened to spoil the historic character of the waterfront district.

### 2. to overindulge someone

verb · CEFR B2

to give someone, especially a child, everything they want in a way that harms their character.

For teachers: to harm the character of a person, typically a child, by excessive indulgence or lack of discipline.

- The grandparents tend to spoil the children with too many sweets and toys.
- Psychologists argue that parents who spoil their children by shielding them from every disappointment may hinder their emotional development.

### 3. food going bad

verb · CEFR B2

to decay or become unfit to eat.

For teachers: to undergo a process of decay or chemical change that makes food unpalatable or unsafe.

- The milk will spoil if you leave it out on the counter all night.
- Without proper refrigeration, the entire shipment of fresh produce began to spoil within forty-eight hours of arrival.

### 4. to reveal a plot

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to tell someone the ending of a movie or book before they have seen it.

For teachers: to prematurely disclose significant plot points or the conclusion of a narrative, thereby diminishing the experience for others.

- Please don't spoil the movie for me; I haven't seen the ending yet.
- Social media users were warned not to spoil the series finale for those living in different time zones.

### 5. aviation

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to reduce the lift of an airplane wing using a special part called a spoiler.

For teachers: to intentionally reduce the lift generated by a wing by deflecting air upwards, typically during descent or landing.

- The pilot used the flaps to spoil the lift and slow the plane down.
- By deploying the flight spoilers, the pilot was able to increase the rate of descent without significantly increasing the aircraft's airspeed.

### 6. eager for something

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to be very eager or impatient for something to happen.

For teachers: to be extremely eager or impatient, typically used in the progressive form 'spoiling for'.

- After weeks of training, the young boxer was spoiling for a fight.
- The opposition party had been spoiling for a debate on the new tax laws for several months.

Usage: Usually appears in the phrase 'spoiling for a fight' or 'spoiling for a chance'.

### 7. stolen goods

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary · Formal

goods or money taken by a winner after a war or a crime.

For teachers: goods, property, or territory seized by a victor in a conflict or through illegal means.

- The soldiers divided the spoils of war among themselves after the battle.
- The victors claimed the mineral rights of the occupied territory as part of the spoils of the campaign.

Usage: Often used in the plural form 'spoils'.

### 8. excavated waste

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the earth and rocks that are dug up during building or mining.

For teachers: waste material, such as earth or rock, produced during excavation, mining, or dredging operations.

- The construction crew moved the spoil to a different part of the site.
- Environmental regulations required the mining company to contain the spoil in a way that prevented heavy metals from leaching into the groundwater.

## Examples

- The rain will spoil our picnic today.
- I do not want to spoil the movie for you by telling you the ending.
- 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.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.