KILLJOYS Synonyms: 39 Similar and Opposite Words

killjoys

noun

plural of killjoy

as in cynics

a person who spoils the pleasure of others his perpetually negative attitude made him a real killjoy when others were trying to have fun

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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 killjoys Which poem, and why did the killjoys at the magazine turn it down? — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for killjoys

Noun

Williams led the Bears to an NFC North title and a playoff victory last season, but some cynics think the Bears are due for a regression this season.

— Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
That the earnestness the genre requires galls us cynics, who love to hide in our books, away from all those pesky bodies in the first place?

— Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of cynics

Noun

Are they deluded into thinking that the complainers are just a squeaky wheel minority and the majority of fans are happy with it?

— Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 13 July 2026
However, the Lakers are complainers to begin with and have always gotten a favorable whistle.

— David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026

Definition of complainers

Noun

Purdue University told Fox News Digital on Thursday that the crabs have not caused any additional challenges for the crew.

— Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
That contact was evident during the AP’s trip aboard the F/V Progress, when Tanner crabs and basket stars — animals that live on the seafloor — came up in the net.

— Annika Hammerschlag, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of crabs

Noun

Monday was a perfect example, when the two biggest drags on the S&P 500 were Nvidia and Micron, but were offset almost to the penny by gains in Apple and Meta, helping the index itself to finish a whisper from unchanged.

— Michael Santoli, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
Returns are one of the biggest drags on fashion retailer margins, and virtual fitting kiosks are designed to reduce the number of items shoppers bring back.

— Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of drags

Noun

Caldecott Tunnel was first opened in 1937 with two bores containing two lanes each going opposite directions.

— Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 3 Sep. 2026
Some resorts in the Mamanuca Islands are set to lose entire wings to the sea in the coming years, and drinking water in villages is already being infiltrated by salt from seawater seeping into ground bores.

— MIchelle Duff, HollywoodReporter, 27 Apr. 2026

Definition of bores

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killjoy

killjoys

kill off

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“Killjoys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/killjoys. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of killjoys

noun

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