/spɔɪlz/
spoils is pronounced /spɔɪlz/. Spoils refers to valuable goods or advantages gained from a loss or defeat, often in a military or competitive context, or to items taken as booty. It can also mean the act of damaging or harming something, as in spoiling a plan. The term is commonly used in plural form to denote multiple items or a spoil of war, and in verb form as spoils or spoiling in broader phrases.
Say it backSpoils refers to valuable goods or advantages gained from a loss or defeat, often in a military or competitive context, or to items taken as booty. It can also mean the act of damaging or harming something, as in spoiling a plan. The term is commonly used in plural form to denote multiple items or a spoil of war, and in verb form as spoils or spoiling in broader phrases.
"The soldiers divided the spoils after the battle."
"His parents warned that late-night dessert could spoil his appetite."
"The storm ruined the crops, and the spoils of harvest were lost."
You pronounce spoils as /ˈspɔɪlz/ in General American and /ˈspɔɪlz/ in most UK contexts; the initial stress falls on the first syllable. Start with a rounded /ɔ/ quality like ‘paw,’ then glide to /ɪ/ in the diphthong, ending with /lz/. Mouth position: lips rounded for the /ɔɪ/ diphthong, tongue relaxed mid-high, and voice on the final /l z/.”
Common mistakes include mispronouncing the /ɔɪ/ diphthong as /oʊ/ or /aɪ/ and confusing the final /lz/ with /lz/ or an extra syllable by adding an /s/ or z sound. To correct: keep the /ɔɪ/ as a tight diphthong moving from /ɔ/ to /ɪ/ in one smooth glide, and finish with a clear /lz/ sequence without adding an extra vowel. Practice with words like ‘boil,’ ‘coil,’ and ‘loyal’ in pairs to feel the diphthong shift and the l+z cluster.”
US and UK share the /ɔɪ/ diphthong in spoils, but rhoticism can color the preceding vowel subtly in US speech due to r-coloring. US speakers may have slightly tenser onset with /spɔɪlz/ vs UK /spɔɪlz/ where non-rhotic tendencies may soften the /ɔ/ and lengthen the vowel before the /ɪ/. Australian accents often present a broader /ɔɪ/ with a flatter quality and less vowel reduction, but the word remains two syllables with primary stress on the first. IPA references anchor the vowel in all three variants: US /ˈspoɪlz/, UK /ˈspɔɪlz/, AU /ˈspɔɪlz/.
Spoils challenges you with the /ɔɪ/ diphthong, requiring a smooth transition from a rounded open-mid vowel to a high front element, plus a final /lz/ cluster that demands precise voicing and a brief air release. The sequence can tempt English learners to overemphasize the /ɪ/ or to devoicing the /l/ and /z/. Focus on a clean glide from /ɔ/ to /ɪ/ and a crisp, connected /lz/ at the end—no extra vocalic sound between consonants.
Why does spoils take a two-syllable rhythm even in rapid speech, and how does the /ɔɪ/ diphthong influence the overall tempo? In practice, stress remains on the first syllable: SPOILs. The /ɔɪ/ requires careful mouth shaping: start with an open-mid back rounded vowel, then slide to a higher front position. In fast speech, you can reduce subtle vowel space but keep the diphthong intact before the /lz/ cluster for intelligibility.
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Spoils originated in Middle English as spol, from Old French spoile or espoile, meaning booty or plunder, particularly from war or conflict. The root is linked to Latin spolium for ‘booty’ or ‘booty taken’ and shares a connection with spree and spoilage in later centuries. Over time, the word broadened to include items gained through success or exploitation, not exclusively military wealth. In modern use, spoils often refer to tangible goods obtained as a result of an action (e.g., war, competition) and occasionally to spoilage or corruption of something (as in spoiling plans). First known uses appear in medieval texts discussing conquests and plunder, evolving to a general sense of ‘things taken or won as a result of effort or conflict’ in early modern English. The plural form spoils has long invoked the notion of several items or advantages, reinforcing its association with collectable gain rather than singular booty.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "spoils" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "spoils" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "spoils"
-ils sounds
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