SPOIL Synonyms: 247 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'spoil' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of spoil are booty , loot , plunder , prize , and spoils . While all these words mean "something taken from another by force or craft," spoil , more commonly spoils , applies to what belongs by right or custom to the victor in war or political contest. // the spoils of political victory

Q: When would 'booty' be a good substitute for 'spoil'?

Although the words booty and spoil have much in common, booty implies plunder to be shared among confederates. // thieves dividing up their booty

Q: When is it sensible to use 'loot' instead of 'spoil'?

The words loot and spoil are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, loot applies especially to what is taken from victims of a catastrophe. // picked through the ruins for loot

Q: When is 'plunder' a more appropriate choice than 'spoil'?

The synonyms plunder and spoil are sometimes interchangeable, but plunder applies to what is taken not only in war but in robbery, banditry, grafting, or swindling. // a bootlegger's plunder

Q: In what contexts can 'prize' take the place of 'spoil'?

While in some cases nearly identical to spoil , prize applies to spoils captured on the high seas or territorial waters of the enemy. // the wartime right of seizing prizes at sea

spoil 1 of 2

verb

ˈspȯi(-ə)l

Definition of spoil

as in to taint

to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable too much coddling will spoil the child

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to decompose

to go through decomposition the meat has spoiled

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to damage

to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of know when to stop, for an unnecessary brushstroke can spoil a painted portrait

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to indulge

to treat with great or excessive care when they were newlyweds, the wife tended to spoil her husband, but she soon got over that

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

spoil

2 of 2

noun

as in loot

valuables stolen or taken by force the bandits escaped with their lives but not with the spoils

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How does the noun spoil differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of spoil are booty, loot, plunder, prize, and spoils. While all these words mean "something taken from another by force or craft," spoil, more commonly spoils, applies to what belongs by right or custom to the victor in war or political contest.

the spoils of political victory

When would booty be a good substitute for spoil?

Although the words booty and spoil have much in common, booty implies plunder to be shared among confederates.

thieves dividing up their booty

When is it sensible to use loot instead of spoil?

The words loot and spoil are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, loot applies especially to what is taken from victims of a catastrophe.

picked through the ruins for loot

When is plunder a more appropriate choice than spoil?

The synonyms plunder and spoil are sometimes interchangeable, but plunder applies to what is taken not only in war but in robbery, banditry, grafting, or swindling.

a bootlegger's plunder

In what contexts can prize take the place of spoil?

While in some cases nearly identical to spoil, prize applies to spoils captured on the high seas or territorial waters of the enemy.

the wartime right of seizing prizes at sea

Example Sentences

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 spoil

Verb

As a rough stretch dropped the Wings to eighth in the standings, the vibes spoiled a bit. — Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 The ongoing leaks also threaten to spoil the game since CyberLeek has been showing detailed footage of various settings in the action title. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026

Noun

There’s also a three-spoil limit in Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe counties. — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026 Vantor satellite image shows tunnel construction activities and a large spoil pile near the Natanz nuclear complex at Pickaxe Mountain. — Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for spoil

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spoil

Verb

But Reese and her Dream teammates tainted the historic night during the final 20 seconds.

— Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
In July, the US was hit with a wave of explosive diarrhea caused by an outbreak of cyclospora, a parasite that spreads through food and water tainted with human feces.

— Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of taint

Verb

But the situation is far more tragic, with videos on social media showing dozens of coffins lined up beside mass graves, awaiting burial before the bodies decompose in the heat.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
The body itself was badly decomposed after spending an unknown amount of time exposed to the elements, with animals, bugs and rain, plus 50 years in storage.

— Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of decompose

Verb

The missile killed four sailors and damaged the ship’s equipment, but the crew contained the damage and the Hanit limped home.

— HOLMES LIAO, Foreign Affairs, 4 Sep. 2026
Desalination plants in the Gulf have been targeted and damaged during the US-Iran war, raising significant alarm in a region that depends overwhelmingly on this technology.

— Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of damage

Noun

The expansion features six skill slots, greater enemy variety, the return of loot grinding and appraisal, and a massive new map to explore.

— Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026
Despite other colonial loot being returned over the decades, the diamond men literally died for still sits in the Jewel House in the Tower of London.

— Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of loot

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splutters

spoil

spoilage

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“Spoil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spoil. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of spoil

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