What’s the past tense of “spoil”?
The verb spoil (rhymes with boil) is more complicated than the standard past tense verb. The consensus, according to the internet, is spoilt is no longer. We might say spoilt is, well, spoilt. And now, the preferred past tense in either case is spoiled.
UK English still uses spoilt, mostly as the past participial form of spoil. Spoilt still shows up in the dictionary as a past tense and participle of spoil—so while spoiled might be trending, it’s still acceptable to use spoilt as a past tense or participial form of spoil.
Our camping trip was spoilt by bad weather.
He really spoiled me on my birthday.
I’m sorry I spoils the weekend.
Forms of spoil
| Present | Past | Future | |
|---|---|---|---|
| simple | I spoil | I spoiled/spoilt | I will spoil |
| continuous | I am spoiling | I was spoiling | I will be spoiling |
| perfect | I have spoiled/spoilt | I had spoiled/spoilt | I will have spoiled/spoilt |
| perfect continuous | I have been spoiling | I had been spoiling | I will have been spoiling |
Quick Tip—Past tenses
The meaning of the verb to spoil is “to destroy or reduce the pleasure, interest, or beauty of something.” In other words, when something is spoiled, it’s no longer of the same value as it was prior to having been spoilt.
The past participle requires the auxiliary verb, has/have, whereas the simple past tense does not.
| Base Verb | Past Tense | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| lean | leant/leaned | leant/leaned |
| leap | leapt/leaped | leapt/leaped |
| learn | learnt/learned | learnt/learned |
| spoil | spoilt/spoiled | spoilt/spoiled |
British English uses the earlier, more irregular English, which prefers irregular verb (and noun) forms. When in doubt, stick to the form that applies considering the geography. English-speaking countries outside of the UK and the US usually use British/UK English.
Spoilt and spoiled in sentences
| Spoilt sentence examples | Spoiled sentence examples |
|---|---|
| The performance was spoilt by the constant noise from the audience. | Her selfish behaviour completely spoiled the evening. |
| Our camping trip was spoilt by bad weather. | The whole park has been spoiled by litter. |
| Have I spoilt the day? | The tall buildings have spoiled the view. |
| The bad weather really spoilt things for us. | He really spoiled me on my birthday. |
| I’m sorry I spoilt the weekend but I’m having a crisis. | The fight spoiled the party. |
Synonyms & phrases with spoil
| Synonyms of spoil | Phrases with “spoil” |
|---|---|
| ruin | Don’t let one mistake ruin/spoil your day. |
| damage | Too much sun can damage/spoil your skin. |
| wreck | One bad comment can wreck/spoil the mood. |
| harm | Too much criticism can harm/spoil a child’s confidence. |
| impair | Don’t let stress impair/spoil your performance. |
| adversely affect | Weather can adversely affect/spoil outdoor plans. |
When writing, consider your audience. If writing for a global audience, “spoiled” is a safer choice. If writing for a UK audience, “spoilt” is perfectly acceptable.
Origin of the word spoil
| c. 1300, “to strip (someone) of clothes, strip a slain enemy,” from Old French espillier “to strip, plunder, pillage,” from Latin spoliare “to strip, uncover, lay bare; strip of clothing, rob, plunder, pillage,” from spolia. |
Practice: Forms of “Spoil”
He ______ his children by giving them everything they ask for.
The milk was left out of the fridge and has ______.
In British English, it is common to say the surprise was ______.
The rain ______ our plans for a picnic in the park.
Don’t ______ your appetite by eating candy before dinner.
FAQs
What is the preferred past tense?
+
Is the word “spoilt” incorrect?
+
Where is “spoilt” mainly used?
+
Spoiled or spoilt: How to choose?
+
Past tense vs participle: what’s the key?
+
Sources
-
Origin of the verb, spoil.
-
Spoiled used in sentences, spoil/spoilt/spoiled.
Yash, D. "How to Use Spoiled vs. Spoilt (Explained, Plus Examples)." Grammarflex, Aug 24, 2025, https://grammarflex.com/spoiled-vs-spoilt/.
