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
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Recent Examples of killjoy
Esther is the original feminist killjoy — acerbic, brilliant, obsessive, confrontational, deeply relatable.
—
Jillian Eugenios, NBC News, 29 Dec. 2024
Believe it or not, between sipping delicious eggnog and hot cocoa and enjoying the joy of Yuletide with family and friends, there are still naughty killjoys afoot during Christmastime — the worst of which appear in some of the best holiday films.
—Mike Miller, People.com, 19 Dec. 2024
That’s when a try-hard, killjoy Kansas senator, Bob Dole, convinced congressional colleagues to get serious about taxing tipped workers.
—Joseph Thorndike, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Anybody who asks for more from this new production, therefore, or who points out what is missing, risks the charge of being the merest killjoy.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for killjoy
Jillian Eugenios, NBC News, 29 Dec. 2024
Believe it or not, between sipping delicious eggnog and hot cocoa and enjoying the joy of Yuletide with family and friends, there are still naughty killjoys afoot during Christmastime — the worst of which appear in some of the best holiday films.
—Mike Miller, People.com, 19 Dec. 2024
That’s when a try-hard, killjoy Kansas senator, Bob Dole, convinced congressional colleagues to get serious about taxing tipped workers.
—Joseph Thorndike, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Anybody who asks for more from this new production, therefore, or who points out what is missing, risks the charge of being the merest killjoy.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for killjoy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for killjoy
Noun
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Suddenly, the Republicans were the spoilsports who couldn’t take the joke, a position stereotypically held by politically correct liberals.—
Rebecca Jennings,
Vox,
9 Aug. 2024
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Millennial workers are increasingly becoming the office spoilsports, with young people increasingly likely to be in it for the money rather than for fun, as years of economic turmoil force them to keep their heads down, collect their monthly paychecks, and fight for a promotion.—
BYRyan Hogg,
Fortune Europe,
26 June 2024
Noun
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However, cynics have long predicted that AVs will flounder among the flocks of cyclists in European cities such as Amsterdam.—
Carlton Reid,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
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Instead, cynics might argue, the exercise was about proving to the White House that Putin was not interested in the peace, or indeed the specific ceasefire proposal, that the Trump administration sought.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
12 May 2025
Noun
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Lavar’s mother competed in regional drag racing events.—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
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These are a drag on the housing market generally and are playing into cancellations as some potential buyers are abandoning deals after receiving quotes.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
23 July 2025
Noun
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Speaking to the Daily Mail, former British military intelligence officer Colonel Philip Ingram warned that the campaign bore hallmarks of joint coordination.—
Deborah Danan,
Sun Sentinel,
16 July 2025
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But really, outside of their games against Barca and perhaps Atletico, La Liga is a bore.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
9 July 2025
Noun
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Tired of looking like the grinch (can't help the hair).—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
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Tired of looking like the grinch (can't help the hair).—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Seafood: Tuna, sardines, shrimp, crab, and halibut are all good sources.—
Patricia Weiser,
Verywell Health,
23 July 2025
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The bay serves as a crucial nursery for young sandbar sharks, which primarily eat fish and crabs.—
Irit Skulnik,
Baltimore Sun,
22 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Killjoy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/killjoy. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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