spoil

noun

the act of stripping and taking by force

the act of spoiling something by causing damage to it

(usually plural) valuables taken by violence (especially in war)

verb

make imperfect

destroy and strip of its possession

have a strong desire or urge to do something

hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of

treat with excessive indulgence

alter from the original

become unfit for consumption or use

make a mess of, destroy or ruin

Roots

spoliumspoil- · Latin · plunder, hide

Synonyms for spoil

despoilv vitiatev pamperv ruinn impairv spoliationn coddlev frustratev cossetv thwartv indulgev plundern botchn marv mollycoddlen destroyv violatev tarnishv corruptadj disruptv

Synonyms & related words for spoil

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of spoil — including despoil, vitiate, pamper, ruin, impair, spoliation. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to spoil

Explore words related to spoil — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include despoilment, despoliation, spoilage, spoilable, spoliatory, ruinable, spoilful, bollix. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for spoil

Common synonyms for spoil include despoil, vitiate, pamper, ruin, impair, spoliation, coddle, frustrate — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does spoil come from?

The word spoil breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root spoil-, from Latin spolium (“plunder, hide”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.