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
The following contains spoilers from the July 10 Criminal Minds: Evolution finale, now streaming on Paramount+.
Paramount+’s Criminal Minds closed out Season 18 with the reveal of the Disciple, and her sinister plan for Lee Duval aka Elias Voit aka Sicarius.
—
Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 10 July 2025
The post-credits scene (spoilers again) takes place in Metropolis after the cataclysmic events partly destroy the city.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
McBee Dynasty viewers will have to wait from one week to the next, because Bravo is doling them out one by one and hasn’t spilled many spoilers.
—Mike Hendricks
july 6, Kansas City Star, 6 July 2025
Should the ultimate turning point occur—if the Iranian regime were to collapse and be replaced by a fundamentally different leadership—Iran itself could reenter the regional stage, not as a spoiler, but as a potential partner in a new, post-theocratic era.
—Tim Ryan, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for spoiler
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Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 10 July 2025
The post-credits scene (spoilers again) takes place in Metropolis after the cataclysmic events partly destroy the city.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
McBee Dynasty viewers will have to wait from one week to the next, because Bravo is doling them out one by one and hasn’t spilled many spoilers.
—Mike Hendricks
july 6, Kansas City Star, 6 July 2025
Should the ultimate turning point occur—if the Iranian regime were to collapse and be replaced by a fundamentally different leadership—Iran itself could reenter the regional stage, not as a spoiler, but as a potential partner in a new, post-theocratic era.
—Tim Ryan, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for spoiler
Cite this Entry
“Spoiler.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spoiler. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spoiler
noun
spoil·er
ˈspȯi-lər 
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
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