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
8
: 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 Web
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 28 Nov. 2024
The shocking discovery was made at the Penrose location in October 2023, after the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports from residents of a foul odor coming from the facility.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 22 Nov. 2024
Jamie Barton, CNN, 28 Nov. 2024
The team was called for 51 fouls over its first two games in the close confines of the Lahaina Civic Center, capacity: 2,400.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 27 Nov. 2024
Jamie Barton, CNN, 28 Nov. 2024
The men were more than 25 miles from the blaze but a combination of high winds and smoke was enough to foul the air.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 20 Nov. 2024
Doha Madani, NBC News, 21 Oct. 2024
Chubb has started to fight back, calling foul on the CJCC.
—Ellen Moynihan, New York Daily News, 30 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for foul 
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Adjective
But the crossover ends there, as RoboCop is definitely not a kids movie–brutally violent, gruesome, filled with foul language, and nudity.
—Noun
Villa manager Unai Emery accepted the decision, but said that Premier League referees would not have viewed it as a foul.
—Verb
Real Madrid had the perfect opportunity to get back into the game just after the hour mark when Andy Robertson fouled Lucas Vàzquez in the area, but Mbappé – who had a difficult evening – saw his penalty saved by Caoimhin Kelleher.
—Adverb
The foul allowed Stewart to tie the game with two free throws, clearing the way for the Liberty to rally in extra time and win 67-62.
—Dictionary Entries Near foul
Cite this Entry
“Foul.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foul. Accessed 11 Dec. 2024.
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
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