as in spoilsport
a person who spoils the pleasure of others his perpetually negative attitude made him a real killjoy when others were trying to have fun
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Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of killjoy But Sennott’s script is smart not to make Maia such a killjoy straightman opposite Tallulah. —
Caroline Framke, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025 Stay a while Another eclipse killjoy? —Maya Silver, Outside, 21 Oct. 2025 Nauseatingly innocent and a self-righteous killjoy, April seems to have existed solely for the purpose of making everyone else on Grey's Anatomy look worlds more interesting. —Marc Snetiker, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Oct. 2025 The Civil War, which is jeopardizing his presidency, has turned him into an utter killjoy. —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for killjoy
Caroline Framke, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025 Stay a while Another eclipse killjoy? —Maya Silver, Outside, 21 Oct. 2025 Nauseatingly innocent and a self-righteous killjoy, April seems to have existed solely for the purpose of making everyone else on Grey's Anatomy look worlds more interesting. —Marc Snetiker, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Oct. 2025 The Civil War, which is jeopardizing his presidency, has turned him into an utter killjoy. —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for killjoy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for killjoy
Noun
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Granted, this might simply be an old-fashioned spoilsport way to view the market.— Michael Santoli, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2026
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No one likes a spoilsport, apparently.— Bethy Squires, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The cynics are figures like Sam Bankman-Fried, who built a fortune off of a crypto exchange called FTX, which crashed and burned in the fall of 2022, eventually sending Bankman-Fried to prison for fraud.— Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2026
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The dollar amount was chosen arbitrarily based on what voters might accept, and some cynics saw it as a move by a pro-development commission to cozy up to environmentalists.— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The drag competition delivered double-digit growth versus Season 17, according to the network.— Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2026
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The cars — a blue Infiniti and a purple Infiniti — were captured on video participating in the meetup, which involved roughly 100 cars drag racing, doing donuts and other stunts near a ring of fire set with accelerant at the intersection of Eliot Ave.— Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The pervasive popularity of the show and its creator will be the reason the complainers have no voice.— Rich Heldenfels, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2026
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An energy vampire has bad body language, the complaining look on their face, the vocal complainer.— Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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This method bore fruit, with a close relative of the DNA identified in 2025.— Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
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As the North bore down on Saigon, Thieu begged for American financial support, but Congress was in no mood to pour more millions into the black hole of Southeast Asia.— Louis Menand, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The nonprofit donated almost $200,000 to the church for the materials a grinch stole.— Dawn White, CBS News, 10 Dec. 2025
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To play off the flavor of the candy, the grinch-green dough has a subtle cinnamon flavor of its own.— Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 30 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Now in its 79th year, the three-day festival celebrates Maryland’s blue crab culture with crab races, boat docking contests, cooking competitions, and live music in the southernmost town of Maryland.— Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2026
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The tide pools around Haystack and elsewhere along Cannon Beach are extraordinary, with colorful sea stars, anemones, crabs, snails, coral, sponges, and sea slugs.— Kara Williams, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Killjoy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/killjoy. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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