spoiling
/spɔɪl/ (bre, ipa) · [spˈɔɪlɪŋ] /spɔɪl/ (ame, ipa) · [spˈɔɪlɪŋ] /ˈspȯi(-ə)l How to pronounce spoil (audio)/ (ame, mw)
spoiling — verb
1. (present participle of 'spoil') making an event, experience, or appearance less
(present participle of 'spoil') making an event, experience, or appearance less enjoyable or attractive, and sometimes ruining it altogether.
Rain was spoiling the picnic just as the children opened lunch boxes.
spoiling + event
Loud phone calls kept spoiling Salma's quiet evening at the beach.
A cracked screen is spoiling the look of Quan's new tablet.
Mud on the carpet was spoiling the feel of the clean hallway.
文法句型
spoiling + event/plan/look
be spoiling + noun
用法筆記
Object is usually an event, place, object, or atmosphere rather than a person. Distinguish from sense 4, where the object is someone receiving very generous treatment.
常見錯誤
2. (present participle of 'spoil') causing food to become unsafe or unpleasant to e
(present participle of 'spoil') causing food to become unsafe or unpleasant to eat, or going bad in this way.
The broken fridge is spoiling the milk and yesterday's fish.
spoiling + food
Fish was spoiling fast in the sun beside the empty market stalls.
food is spoiling
Leaving soup on the stove overnight is spoiling it by morning.
The warm delivery truck kept spoiling cartons of yogurt on the trip.
- keeping
staying fresh and usable
- preserving
actively stopping food from going bad
文法句型
food is spoiling
spoiling + food
用法筆記
Used mainly with food such as meat, milk, soup, or fruit. When the food itself is the subject, English often uses the intransitive pattern 'the food is spoiling'.
常見錯誤
3. (present participle of 'spoil') marking a ballot paper wrongly or deliberately s
(present participle of 'spoil') marking a ballot paper wrongly or deliberately so it cannot count as a valid vote.
By writing a slogan across the form, Arjun was spoiling his ballot.
spoiling + ballot
Some protesters planned on spoiling their papers instead of choosing a candidate.
The official warned voters that two ticks could mean spoiling the vote.
Crossing out every name was spoiling the ballot before it reached the box.
- invalidating
more formal and often used in official explanations
- voiding
legal and administrative in tone
- disqualifying
broader and can apply to a person or application, not only ballots
- validating
confirming that a vote can be counted
文法句型
spoiling + ballot
spoiling + vote/paper
用法筆記
Common in election reporting and explanations of voting rules, especially in British English. The object is the ballot, paper, or vote itself, not the election as a whole.
常見錯誤
4. (present participle of 'spoil') giving someone more comfort, gifts, or special t
(present participle of 'spoil') giving someone more comfort, gifts, or special treatment than they normally get.
Christopher is spoiling his parents with a weekend hotel stay.
spoiling + person + with + treat
The cafe owner kept spoiling regular customers with free cakes.
After the exam, Nellie's aunt was spoiling Nellie with long lunches.
The team manager is spoiling the players with new jackets and snacks.
- neglecting
failing to give care or attention
- depriving
keeping someone from comforts or treats
文法句型
spoiling + person + with + gift/treat
用法筆記
This sense is broad and can apply to adults, friends, guests, or customers. Distinguish from sense 5, which is narrower and focuses on raising a child without enough limits.
常見錯誤
5. (present participle of 'spoil') giving a child everything they ask for so they b
(present participle of 'spoil') giving a child everything they ask for so they become demanding and disrespectful.
Ryo's grandparents are spoiling Ryo by buying every toy in the shop.
spoiling + child + by + action
The boy's mother is spoiling him by never making him share.
Teachers worried that constant praise was spoiling Baraka at home.
Ignoring bad manners is only spoiling the child for school life.
- overindulging
closest neutral description of giving too much
- pampering
can describe kind luxury without the strong child-behaviour result
- babying
focuses more on treating someone as less capable than they are
- disciplining
teaching limits and expected behaviour
- correcting
responding to bad behaviour instead of excusing it
文法句型
spoiling + child
spoiling + child + by + action
用法筆記
Usually used critically about parenting or care of children. Unlike sense 4, the problem here is not generous treatment itself but the bad behaviour it may create.
常見錯誤
spoiling — noun
1. the act or process of making something worse, less effective, or less enjoyable.
the act or process of making something worse, less effective, or less enjoyable.
The spoiling of the view began when the giant sign went up.
the spoiling of + noun
Residents complained about the spoiling of the beach by litter and smoke.
Years of careless parking led to the spoiling of the old garden path.
The article blamed the spoiling of family meals on constant phone use.
- damage
the broad everyday noun for harmful effect
- ruin
stronger and often suggests nearly total loss of value or pleasure
- deterioration
more gradual and often used for slow decline in condition
- improvement
a change that makes something better
- preservation
keeping something in good condition
文法句型
the spoiling of + noun
spoiling by + cause
用法筆記
This is a verbal noun and often appears in formal or reflective writing. For the everyday result itself, English more often uses nouns such as 'damage' or 'ruin'.