Spilled and spilt are interchangeable in the UK, but not in the US. If you're following US writing conventions, use "spilled." If you're following UK writing conventions, you should also use "spilled," but "spilt" is widely accepted. This graph shows that "spilled" has been more popular than "spilt" in British English since the 1940s.
Spilt was once the standard past tense and past participle form of the verb spill, but in modern English the word has mostly given way to spilled in all its uses. The old form does survive, though, especially outside North America, where spilt appears about a third as often as spilled.
In American English, “spilled” is widely accepted, while “spilt” maintains its traditional preference in British English. Regional norms, the intended audience, and the specific context of your writing can all influence this choice.
Summary Is it spilled or spilt? Although both spilled and spilt can function as the past tense for the verb spill, modern writers use spilled much more often. Even in fixed phrases like spilt milk, the two variants are roughly equal.
SPILT definition: a simple past tense and past participle of spill. See examples of spilt used in a sentence.
SPILT definition: 1. past simple and past participle of spill 2. past simple and past participle of spill. Learn more.
to (cause or allow to) run or fall from a container, esp. accidentally or wastefully: [~ + object] to spill milk from a glass. [no object] The milk spilled on the floor. [no object] to flow, esp. beyond the customary boundaries: Tears spilled from her eyes.
Spilt definition: The past tense of 'spill'; indicates that a liquid has flowed over its edge. - See meaning, pronunciation, etymology, examples, and related words.