spoil ground: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, technical (environmental, engineering, planning), literary.
Quick answer
What does “spoil ground” mean?
To ruin or damage an area of land, making it unfit for its original use or less attractive.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To ruin or damage an area of land, making it unfit for its original use or less attractive.
To irreversibly damage the potential or value of something, often through prior misuse or contamination, thereby preventing future positive development or use.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use the term, but it is more common in UK technical/planning contexts (e.g., 'brownfield' or 'spoilt ground'). US English may slightly prefer 'contaminated land' or 'blighted land' in formal registers.
Connotations
In UK English, it can evoke post-industrial landscapes. In US English, it may more strongly imply environmental negligence.
Frequency
Low-frequency collocation overall; the verbal use ('to spoil ground') is rarer than the nominalised form.
Grammar
How to Use “spoil ground” in a Sentence
[Agent] spoiled the ground [with Instrument/for Purpose]The ground was spoiled [by Agent]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “spoil ground” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The mining operations have completely spoiled the ground for any agricultural use.
- We mustn't spoil this greenbelt ground with yet another warehouse complex.
American English
- The factory's toxic runoff spoiled the ground water and the surrounding land.
- They worried the construction would spoil the ground for future homeowners.
adjective
British English
- The planners assessed the spoilt ground for potential remediation.
- They avoided the spoiled ground area due to safety concerns.
American English
- The spoiled ground required extensive cleanup before any development could begin.
- A survey of the spoiled ground site was conducted.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Referring to liability or reduced asset value, e.g., 'The chemical spill spoiled ground for future commercial development.'
Academic
Used in environmental science, geography, and urban planning literature.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation; might be used descriptively about a vandalised park or a farm with ruined soil.
Technical
Common in environmental impact assessments and civil engineering reports.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “spoil ground”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “spoil ground”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “spoil ground”
- Using 'spoil' intransitively (e.g., 'The ground spoiled'). It requires an agent or cause. Confusing it with 'spoil' as in 'decay' (organic matter). Overusing the verbal phrase instead of the more common noun form 'spoilt ground'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a low-frequency, formal collocation. The noun phrase 'spoilt/spoiled ground' or terms like 'contaminated land' are more common.
Yes, though it's rare. It can metaphorically mean to ruin the chances or reputation of something in a particular context (e.g., 'His earlier failure spoiled the ground for the new proposal').
'Spoil ground' often implies a more comprehensive, lasting degradation affecting usability, while 'pollute' focuses specifically on introducing harmful substances. 'Spoil' can include physical disruption (e.g., by excavation) not strictly 'pollution'.
Both 'spoiled' (more common in US English) and 'spoilt' (more common in UK English) are correct, especially in adjectival use (spoiled/spoilt ground).
To ruin or damage an area of land, making it unfit for its original use or less attractive.
Spoil ground is usually formal, technical (environmental, engineering, planning), literary. in register.
Spoil ground: in British English it is pronounced /spɔɪl ɡraʊnd/, and in American English it is pronounced /spɔɪl ɡraʊnd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Poison the well (metaphorically similar concept)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'spoiled' child who ruins a game for everyone; 'spoil ground' is land where the 'game' of farming or building has been ruined.
Conceptual Metaphor
LAND IS A RESOURCE / LAND IS A CANVAS. Spoil ground conceptualises the land as a pristine object that can be corrupted or defiled, rendering it worthless.
Practice
Quiz
In an urban planning context, 'spoilt ground' is most similar to: