English · Word Candidate

spoil

/spɔɪl/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: spoils · spoiling · spoiled

Sense 1

Meaning · English

To ruin; to damage in such a way as to make undesirable or unusable.

Verb

Examples

All this sun spoils me for vacations in the far North.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

To ruin the character of, by overindulgence; to coddle or pamper to excess.

Verb

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

Plunder taken from an enemy or victim.

Noun

Examples

Thoſe thouſand horſe shall ſweat with martiall ſpoyle Of conquered kingdomes, and of Cities ſackt, […]

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Meaning · English

Material (such as rock or earth) removed in the course of an excavation, or in mining or dredging. Tailings. Such material could be utilised somewhere else.

Noun

Examples

In view of the decline in freight traffic, it was strange to hear from Mr. Lambert that there is "a continuing problem of supplying, particularly for the civil engineer, the number of wagons required for carrying construction materials and spoil for various works."

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “spoil” mean?

To ruin; to damage in such a way as to make undesirable or unusable.

Is “spoil” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.