Meaning & use

killjoy

noun·Everyday

A person who spoils the enjoyment or fun of others, often by being overly serious or critical.

See it in a sentence

Don't be a killjoy; let the kids stay up late for the fireworks tonight.

He earned a reputation as the office killjoy for constantly rejecting fun ideas.

A note on using this word

Informal and mildly disapproving; used almost always about someone else's perceived negativity.

Words with a similar meaning

spoilsportparty pooperwet blanket

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “killjoy”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.