spoil — to damage something or make it less good or useful
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to damage something or make it less good or useful
Pronunciation (IPA): /spɔɪl/
Example Sentences
- Don't spoil the movie ending for me - I haven't watched it yet!
- My cat is so spoiled that she refuses to eat anything but premium cat food.
- The power outage spoiled all the ice cream in the freezer.
spoil
VERB[/spɔɪl/]
to damage something or make it less good or useful

The heavy rain began to spoil the outdoor wedding everyone had planned for months.

SP(spill) + OIL(oil) — accidentally deciding to SPill dark OIL directly onto the white wedding dress managed to completely spoil the perfect day.

Despite wrapping the meat tightly in silver foil, leaving it in the hot sun caused it to rapidly spoil.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Old French 'spoillier' meaning to strip or plunder, derived from Latin 'spoliare' meaning to strip or despoil, likely from 'spolium' (armor stripped from an enemy).
Breakdown
The word entered Middle English from Old French without significant morphological breakdown in modern English, though it relates to Latin 'spoliare' (to strip) + suffix '-il' (verb marker)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“Don't spoil the movie ending for me - I haven't watched it yet!”
“My cat is so spoiled that she refuses to eat anything but premium cat food.”
“The power outage spoiled all the ice cream in the freezer.”
“His parents spoiled him so much that he can't do his own laundry at age 25.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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