# spoilt

/spˈɔɪlt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/spoilt
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. a selfish person

adjective · CEFR B2 · British English

describes a person, usually a child, who is selfish or behaves badly because they always get what they want.

For teachers: describing a person, typically a child, who exhibits selfish or demanding behaviour resulting from excessive indulgence by parents or guardians.

- The spoilt child cried loudly when his mother refused to buy him another toy.
- Growing up as a spoilt only child in a wealthy household, he struggled to adapt to the compromises required in a shared university dormitory.

### 2. food gone bad

adjective · CEFR B2 · British English

describes food that is no longer fresh and cannot be eaten.

For teachers: referring to food that has decayed or fermented to the point of being inedible or hazardous to consume.

- The smell of spoilt milk coming from the fridge was terrible.
- The health inspector noted several containers of spoilt meat in the kitchen, leading to the restaurant's immediate closure.

### 3. damaged or ruined

adjective · CEFR B2 · British English

something that has been ruined or made less beautiful or useful.

For teachers: having the quality or value diminished; rendered less effective, attractive, or useful by damage or interference.

- The view of the valley was spoilt by the new factory buildings.
- The evening was spoilt by a series of technical glitches that interrupted the performance every few minutes.

## Examples

- The spoilt child cried when he didn't get the toy.
- Our holiday was spoilt by the constant rain and the fact that our hotel was still under construction.
- Growing up as an only child in a wealthy household, he was so spoilt by his grandparents that he struggled to handle any form of rejection in his adult life.

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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.