as in filthy
not clean
given the task of cleaning the animals' befouled pens
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in stained
to make dirty
unsightly mud and slush befouls the family car every winter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in polluted
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable
the enemy had befouled the water in all of the area's wells with animal carcasses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befouled
Adjective
-
This was to help end the puppy mill industry, where dogs are bred en masse, leading them to be born and raised in filthy and neglected conditions.—
Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 12 Feb. 2025
-
The boys all came home, filthy and with unbrushed teeth.—
Verb
-
Drugs, success, and conflicting personalities had poisoned members’ relationships.—
-
In times of crisis, these individuals may be offered or pushed into leadership positions that are precarious, at best, and poisoned, at worst.—
Adjective
-
In its time open, fueled by fans of its blackened mahi and buttery lobster rolls, owner Mike Smith has expanded his footprint, moving into a larger stall in the popular food hall — which has allowed for a menu expansion, as well.—
-
There are no glamorous furnishings — just a French window, its blackened panes suggesting the dark of night.—
Adjective
-
Outside the dusty settlement of Bearii, amid an otherwise barren landscape, a green oasis has emerged.—
-
The volunteer, Deb Manley, walked into the dusty basin and snapped a photo of the eye-catching plant, then shared it on iNaturalist — a social media platform for sharing pictures of flora and fauna.—
Adjective
-
Hansen stripped off her knee pads, helmet, elbow pads, cave pack and muddy boots — after finishing her qualifications to lead cave tours at the national monument — and began to cry.—
-
Evidence of bygone civilizations has been steadily deposited on the river’s muddy bottom for modern archaeologists to mine.—
Adjective
-
Surrounded by plenty of enemies, political and otherwise, the husband and wife have no choice but to get their hands dirty in order to save their son.—
-
Evans recommends carving out some time to complete tasks like returning dirty dishes or mugs from elsewhere in the house to the sink.—
Adjective
-
California Hit With Another Earthquake California has 42 official state symbols after Governor Gavin Newsom signed three bills to create new symbols in 2024, including the Dungeness crab as the state crustacean, the banana slug as the state slug, and the black abalone as the state seashell.—
-
The carousel of photos shows the superstar wearing an oversized, double-breasted brown suit, worn with a darker brown shirt, camel-color platforms, a black clutch, and ombré sunglasses.—
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Befouled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befouled. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share