1
a
: offensive to the senses : loathsome
the foul odor of rotten eggs
b
: filled or covered with offensive matter
foul bins of filth
2
: being odorous and impure : polluted
foul air
3
a
: morally or spiritually odious : detestable
a foul crime
5
a
: being wet and stormy
foul weather
b
: obstructive to navigation
a foul tide
6
a
: treacherous, dishonorable
fair means or foul
b
: constituting an infringement (see infringe sense 1) of rules in a game or sport
a foul blow in boxing
7
: being outside the foul lines in baseball
… a foul fly that was snagged by a fan in the stands.—
E. M. Swift
E. M. Swift8
: containing marked-up corrections
a foul manuscript
foul proofs
9
: full of dirt or mud
10
: encrusted, clogged, or choked with a foreign substance
the chimney was foul and smoked badly
11
: placed in a situation that impedes physical movement : entangled
a foul fishing line
foulness
noun
1
a
: an infringement of the rules in a game or sport
b
2
3
: an entanglement or collision especially in angling or sailing
4
archaic
: something foul
fouled; fouling; fouls
1
3
: to commit a foul against
4
: to hit (a baseball) foul
1
: to commit a violation of the rules in a sport or game
2
: to hit a foul ball
: in a foul manner : so as to be foul
Synonyms
Examples of foul in a Sentence
Adjective
the foul odor of rotten eggs
The medicine left a foul taste in my mouth.
The weather has been foul all week.
Noun
He hit several fouls in a row.
Verb
pollutants that foul the air
She fouled on her first long jump attempt.
He was fouled as he attempted the shot.
He kept fouling pitches into the stands.
Recent Examples on the WebJay Nordlinger, National Review, 5 Apr. 2024
The island’s wide, open beaches were perfect for careening hulls, beaching ships and listing them to one side to scrape off the foul barnacles and shipworms that infest the tropical Caribbean.
—Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
The ball had plenty of distance going over the left field fence, but was called foul by third base umpire Javerro January.
—Bob Holt, arkansasonline.com, 31 Mar. 2024
The second batter of the bottom of the first, Fernando Tatis Jr., popped a pitch from Giants starter Daulton Jefferies into foul territory to the right of first base.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 31 Mar. 2024
Cincinnati Observatory is the oldest operating professional observatory in the U.S.
Relocating the observatory to Mount Lookout
Within a few decades, the Cincinnati air was foul with soot and smoke from the growing city.
—Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 24 Mar. 2024
Kyle, the mayor, criticized the dairy company in 2022 after a broken valve on a Prairie Farms tanker truck spilled gallons of milk into the lagoon, fueling a particularly foul spate of odors, according to the Star-Herald, a Kosciusko newspaper.
—Daniel Wu, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024
The plan was to foul, if possible, trading two free throws for a potentially game-tying 3, but at the very least bracket two defenders on Thomas.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024
An investigation began after a foul odor was reported at the funeral home in Penrose.
—Faith Karimi, CNN, 17 Mar. 2024
Issy Ronald, CNN, 6 Apr. 2024
Ruiz’s second foul was for unnecessary contact on Meza.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
When Forbes went to the bench at the end of the third quarter with her third foul, Baylor went on a 6-0 run to take a four-point lead into the fourth quarter.
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2024
The reason for its departure was purely basketball-related — namely a flood of fouls to twin posts Cameron Brink and Kiki Iriafen — as well as an on-again, off-again game in terms of perimeter scoring to balance its strength inside.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2024
Similar to his coaching counterpart, Self did not address the foul — at least directly — in his postgame news conference.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024
Milicic connected on seven of his 11 shots and drew five fouls, sinking a pair of clutch free throws and collecting a key defensive rebound to get Charlotte back in the win column.
—Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 7 Mar. 2024
The action appeared to be directed at referee Scott Foster who had handed out the foul.
—Sam Joseph, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024
One thing to watch, though: Crittendon picked up her second foul on a charge call with 55.6 left in the first quarter.
—Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2024
Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2024
Parrish got his second for allegedly fouling Ian Martinez on a 3-point attempt when replays showed Martinez kicked out his right leg.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2024
Alabama broke Arkansas' press before the Razorbacks could foul and freshman forward Mark Walters scored on a breakaway dunk with three seconds left to clinch the game.
—Bob Holt, arkansasonline.com, 10 Mar. 2024
But Shaq got fouled every play ... and Shaq fouled every play.
—Shane Young, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024
Sandoval fouled off four straight pitches before striking out on a foul tip.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2024
And when Utah State (27-6) started fouling just inside three minutes to go – no doubt watching the parade of clanked free throws the day before in a nervy quarterfinal win against UNLV– the Aztecs calmly stepped up and made them.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2024
McLaughlin fouled off a pitch then launched a 420-foot shot off the batter's eye in center field to make it 7-2.
—Tom Murphy, arkansasonline.com, 6 Mar. 2024
Hilo took an 11-point lead into halftime after doing an excellent job of staying out on Point Loma shooters and not fouling.
—Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2024
Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 19 Apr. 2023
The one-two pitch on the way: curveball, tapped foul off to the left of the plate.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2023
Felsen called foul, arguing in court papers that the term went beyond prosecutors’ request for enough time to complete the youth program.
—Dan Morse, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2023
Miller got a couple assists in the next at-bat, when Tigers slugger Spencer Torkelson first pulled a potential grand slam just foul, then hit a line drive in the gap that was snared by center fielder James Outman with a spectacular, diving catch.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2023
However, musical genres such as reggaeton, popularized by artists such as Bad Bunny, could fall foul, after drawing criticism in some quarters for explicit and sexist lyrics.
—Jack Guy, CNN, 2 Aug. 2023
Josef Martinez cut the deficit with a penalty kick in the 84th minute, after an Andrew Farrell foul attempting a clearance.
—Frank Dell'apa, BostonGlobe.com, 10 June 2023
His grand slam off Gavin Guidry in the third was a high fly that looked to be headed foul, but the 20-mph wind blowing left to right pushed it inside the left-field foul pole.
—Eric Olson, ajc, 26 June 2023
Yet even with both starters firing strikes — not a walk between them — they were gone after six innings, the hitters lashing foul after foul and running up their pitch counts.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 15 June 2023
Adjective
There are many foul things about the Trump movement.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 5 Apr. 2024
The island’s wide, open beaches were perfect for careening hulls, beaching ships and listing them to one side to scrape off the foul barnacles and shipworms that infest the tropical Caribbean.
—Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
The ball had plenty of distance going over the left field fence, but was called foul by third base umpire Javerro January.
—Bob Holt, arkansasonline.com, 31 Mar. 2024
The second batter of the bottom of the first, Fernando Tatis Jr., popped a pitch from Giants starter Daulton Jefferies into foul territory to the right of first base.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 31 Mar. 2024
Cincinnati Observatory is the oldest operating professional observatory in the U.S.
Relocating the observatory to Mount Lookout
Within a few decades, the Cincinnati air was foul with soot and smoke from the growing city.
—Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 24 Mar. 2024
Kyle, the mayor, criticized the dairy company in 2022 after a broken valve on a Prairie Farms tanker truck spilled gallons of milk into the lagoon, fueling a particularly foul spate of odors, according to the Star-Herald, a Kosciusko newspaper.
—Daniel Wu, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024
The plan was to foul, if possible, trading two free throws for a potentially game-tying 3, but at the very least bracket two defenders on Thomas.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024
An investigation began after a foul odor was reported at the funeral home in Penrose.
—Faith Karimi, CNN, 17 Mar. 2024
Noun
The foul gave the ball back to Iowa and Caitlin Clark made her first free throw shortly afterwards, after she had been fouled by Paige Bueckers with 3.1 seconds left.
—Issy Ronald, CNN, 6 Apr. 2024
Ruiz’s second foul was for unnecessary contact on Meza.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
When Forbes went to the bench at the end of the third quarter with her third foul, Baylor went on a 6-0 run to take a four-point lead into the fourth quarter.
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2024
The reason for its departure was purely basketball-related — namely a flood of fouls to twin posts Cameron Brink and Kiki Iriafen — as well as an on-again, off-again game in terms of perimeter scoring to balance its strength inside.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2024
Similar to his coaching counterpart, Self did not address the foul — at least directly — in his postgame news conference.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024
Milicic connected on seven of his 11 shots and drew five fouls, sinking a pair of clutch free throws and collecting a key defensive rebound to get Charlotte back in the win column.
—Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 7 Mar. 2024
The action appeared to be directed at referee Scott Foster who had handed out the foul.
—Sam Joseph, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024
One thing to watch, though: Crittendon picked up her second foul on a charge call with 55.6 left in the first quarter.
—Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2024
Verb
On the ensuing inbounds pass, the Heat then fouled Pacers center Myles Turner to preserve the game clock.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2024
Parrish got his second for allegedly fouling Ian Martinez on a 3-point attempt when replays showed Martinez kicked out his right leg.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2024
Alabama broke Arkansas' press before the Razorbacks could foul and freshman forward Mark Walters scored on a breakaway dunk with three seconds left to clinch the game.
—Bob Holt, arkansasonline.com, 10 Mar. 2024
But Shaq got fouled every play ... and Shaq fouled every play.
—Shane Young, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024
Sandoval fouled off four straight pitches before striking out on a foul tip.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2024
And when Utah State (27-6) started fouling just inside three minutes to go – no doubt watching the parade of clanked free throws the day before in a nervy quarterfinal win against UNLV– the Aztecs calmly stepped up and made them.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2024
McLaughlin fouled off a pitch then launched a 420-foot shot off the batter's eye in center field to make it 7-2.
—Tom Murphy, arkansasonline.com, 6 Mar. 2024
Hilo took an 11-point lead into halftime after doing an excellent job of staying out on Point Loma shooters and not fouling.
—Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2024
Adverb
The ball seemed to be curving foul but stayed inside the Pesky Pole and dropped on the warning track a few feet beyond.
—Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 19 Apr. 2023
The one-two pitch on the way: curveball, tapped foul off to the left of the plate.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2023
Felsen called foul, arguing in court papers that the term went beyond prosecutors’ request for enough time to complete the youth program.
—Dan Morse, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2023
Miller got a couple assists in the next at-bat, when Tigers slugger Spencer Torkelson first pulled a potential grand slam just foul, then hit a line drive in the gap that was snared by center fielder James Outman with a spectacular, diving catch.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2023
However, musical genres such as reggaeton, popularized by artists such as Bad Bunny, could fall foul, after drawing criticism in some quarters for explicit and sexist lyrics.
—Jack Guy, CNN, 2 Aug. 2023
Josef Martinez cut the deficit with a penalty kick in the 84th minute, after an Andrew Farrell foul attempting a clearance.
—Frank Dell'apa, BostonGlobe.com, 10 June 2023
His grand slam off Gavin Guidry in the third was a high fly that looked to be headed foul, but the 20-mph wind blowing left to right pushed it inside the left-field foul pole.
—Eric Olson, ajc, 26 June 2023
Yet even with both starters firing strikes — not a walk between them — they were gone after six innings, the hitters lashing foul after foul and running up their pitch counts.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 15 June 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'foul.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective and Noun
Middle English, from Old English fūl; akin to Old High German fūl rotten, Latin pus pus, putēre to stink, Greek pyon pus
First Known Use
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Adverb
13th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of foul was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing foul
Dictionary Entries Near foul
Cite this Entry
“Foul.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foul. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
foul
1 of 4 adjective1
a
: disgusting in looks, taste, or smell
foul odor
b
: full of or covered with dirt
foul clothes
2
a
: detestable
a foul crime
b
: notably unpleasant or bad
a foul mood
c
: being vulgar or insulting
foul language
3
: being wet and stormy
foul weather
4
a
: very unfair
fair means or foul
b
: breaking a rule in a game or sport
a foul blow in boxing
5
: being outside the foul lines in baseball
a foul grounder
foulness
noun
ˈfau̇(ə)l-nəs
foul
2 of 4 noun1
: an entanglement or collision in fishing or sailing
2
a
: a breaking of the rules in a game or sport
b
3
foul
3 of 4 verb1
: to make or become foul or filthy
foul the air
foul a stream
2
a
: to make a foul in a game or sport
b
: to hit a foul ball
3
: to become or cause to become entangled
foul the lines
foul
4 of 4 adverb
: in a foul manner : so as to be foul
More from Merriam-Webster on foul
Nglish: Translation of foul for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of foul for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about foul
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