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.
On the stage below sat what represented the object of his desire, a pre-production model of the 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 in black with blue racing stripes and a massive rear spoiler to help with aerodynamics and stability should a driver hit the car's top speed of 233 mph. Jamie L. Lareau, USA TODAY, 4 Feb. 2025 This article contains spoilers for the film Companion. David Sims, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2025 This article contains spoilers for the final season of This Is Us. Tanya Melendez, EW.com, 2 Feb. 2025 The following story contains light spoilers for season one of Severence but none for season 2. Ars Technica, 31 Jan. 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

Dictionary Entries Near spoiler

Cite this Entry

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