as in killjoy
a person who spoils the pleasure of others
if you don't want to play, at least don't be a spoilsport
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 spoilsport
Sorry for being a spoilsport.
—
John F. Wasik, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2021
Who knows whether another variant will turn spoilsport next year.
—Rajrishi Singhal, Quartz, 10 Feb. 2022
Does wanting to moderate the telling of jokes about AI sentience become a grinch-like spoilsport?
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 26 Aug. 2022
While demand is ballooning, high taxes—3% each market fee and rural development fund, 2.5% commission to agents and 1% service charges—could play spoilsport.
—Ananya Bhattacharya, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2022
See All Example Sentences for spoilsport
John F. Wasik, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2021
Who knows whether another variant will turn spoilsport next year.
—Rajrishi Singhal, Quartz, 10 Feb. 2022
Does wanting to moderate the telling of jokes about AI sentience become a grinch-like spoilsport?
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 26 Aug. 2022
While demand is ballooning, high taxes—3% each market fee and rural development fund, 2.5% commission to agents and 1% service charges—could play spoilsport.
—Ananya Bhattacharya, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2022
See All Example Sentences for spoilsport
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spoilsport
Noun
-
Within the dog-button community, Horowitz is regarded as a killjoy.—
Camille Bromley Gabra Zackman Krish Seenivasan David Mason,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2025
-
Esther is the original feminist killjoy — acerbic, brilliant, obsessive, confrontational, deeply relatable.—
Jillian Eugenios,
NBC News,
29 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Between voluminous drags, Skarsgård’s Philip is complaining about his wife’s bitter reaction to discovering his infidelity.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
14 Mar. 2025
-
Diva Monroe, a trans woman, and drag performers Marlene and Aura star in Queens of Joy, which just held its world premiere at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival in Greece.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
11 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
And yes, there are plenty of options for V-Day cynics, including He's Just Not That Into You and a particularly bloody '80s slasher flick.—
Glamour,
Glamour,
7 Feb. 2025
-
All one needs is to read the headlines today, 45 years down the road, to see that sometimes cynics have a point.—
George Monastiriakos,
Newsweek,
30 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
In the rush to create newer, faster, more monetizable technologies — and to enable the kind of corporate empires whose chief executives stood beside Donald Trump at his inauguration — privacy and safety regulations seemed like a bore.—
Zeynep Tufekci,
The Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Again, the temperature rose far earlier than expected, and the KTB team was also surprised to find that the rock at this depth was not solid, and large amounts of fluid and gas were pouring into the bore hole to complicate the effort further.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
23 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The Lowcountry Boil — with crab legs, corn, and shrimp and lots of Old Bay seasoning — is worth the price, too.—
Kayleigh Ruller,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Mar. 2025
-
More than two dozen crabs were involved in the feeding frenzy, including one that appeared to have gotten inside the jellyfish and was eating its way out.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Tired of looking like the grinch (can't help the hair).—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
-
The Pompano Beach, Fla. doesn’t play grinch alone; Veeze, Lil Yachty, Rob49, Juvenile, and B.G. also appear on the project.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
27 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Misty is a bit of a wet blanket, so Callie drugs her with some cold medicine in her drink; soon, she’s passed out on the sofa.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
14 Feb. 2025
-
Assassin's Creed 3 After a whole trilogy led by the suave Ezio, Assassin's Creed III's Connor felt like a wet blanket.—
John Mac Ghlionn,
Newsweek,
13 Jan. 2025
Articles Related to spoilsport
Cite this Entry
“Spoilsport.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spoilsport. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share