spoiler

noun

spoil·​er ˈspȯi-lər How to pronounce spoiler (audio)
1
a
: one that spoils
b
: one (such as a political candidate) having little or no chance of winning but capable of depriving a rival of success
2
a
: a long narrow plate along the upper surface of an airplane wing that may be raised for reducing lift and increasing drag see airplane illustration
b
: an air deflector on an automobile to reduce the tendency to lift off the road at high speeds
3
: information about the plot of a movie or TV program that can spoil a viewer's sense of surprise or suspense
also : a person who discloses such information

Examples of spoiler in a Sentence

The review contains a few spoilers, so don't read it if you haven't seen the movie.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
This article contains spoilers for The White Lotus. Daisy Jones, Vogue, 5 Apr. 2025 The following post contains mild spoilers for the first five episodes of Pulse, now streaming on Netflix. Rebecca Luther, TVLine, 3 Apr. 2025 By Michael Cuby March 31, 2025 This article contains spoilers for the most recent episode of Survival of the Thickest. Michael Cuby, Them., 31 Mar. 2025 This post contains spoilers for 1923 season 2. Darren Mann is also not ready to say goodbye to Jack Dutton. Julia Moore, People.com, 30 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spoiler

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of spoiler was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spoiler.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spoiler. Accessed 8 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

spoiler

noun
spoil·​er ˈspȯi-lər How to pronounce spoiler (audio)
1
a
: one that spoils
b
: one (as a political candidate) having little or no chance of winning but capable of depriving a rival of success
2
: a device (as on an airplane or automobile) used to disrupt airflow and decrease lift
3
: information about the plot of a book, motion picture, or television program that can spoil a reader's or a viewer's sense of surprise or suspense

More from Merriam-Webster on spoiler

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