1
as in disgusting
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment
a foul taste that made us gag
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in turbulent
marked by wet and windy conditions
the foul weather brought out the windbreakers and rain slickers as everyone braced for a day of rough sailing
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3
as in unfair
not being in accordance with the rules or standards of what is fair in sport
an aggressive hockey player who is known for his foul play and readiness for a fight
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4
as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society
that movie features nonstop foul language
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5
as in stinking
having an unpleasant smell
the foul fumes from the paper mill
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6
as in filthy
not clean
I wouldn't play in the foul rainwater that's collected in the feeding trough
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1
as in to dirty
to make dirty
the mechanic fouled the bath towels with axle grease
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2
as in to pollute
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable
industrial pollution fouling the water supply
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3
as in to humiliate
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes
the minister was irreparably fouled by baseless rumors and allegations
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4
as in to rot
to go through decomposition
unless you want to smell the organic refuse as it fouls, locate the compost heap away from the house
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of foul
Steve Stein, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026
Buffalo needs to wash away the foul taste of that one-point loss to Philadelphia, plus the Bills want to turn off the lights at Highmark Stadium in style.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026
Ben Morse, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
Despite multiple opportunities to close out the game, the Rockets fell 125-124 in double overtime after superstar Kevin Durant fouled Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with roughly two seconds left, allowing two made free throws that handed the Thunder the win.
—Cole Sullivan, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foul
Adjective
Cearah Parchment had 17 points and eight rebounds and was 8 of 10 at the free-throw line for the Illini, who were 20 of 23 on foul shots overall.
—Verb
With the Rockets up one, Durant fouled Gilgeous-Alexander with two seconds left, picking up his sixth personal foul and exiting the game.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for foul
Adjective
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The medical ordeals are traumatic and disgusting, but fascinating and full of the quirks of modern life.—
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Having snow, slush, and (eventually) water all over my floors was a disgusting feeling.—
Adjective
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Use extra caution near the surf zone as these large waves will be capable of sweeping people into the frigid and turbulent ocean water.—
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The story of the Platonic representation hypothesis paper began in early 2023, a turbulent time for AI researchers.—
Adjective
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As a result, the tippee has an unfair advantage as measured against the other participants in the capital markets, who do not have access to this material nonpublic information.—
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In the meantime, the day-to-day work is on us—looking at our money honestly, making strategic moves, and refusing to let an unfair system keep us from building something better for ourselves and the next generation.—
Adjective
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Indonesia, with the world’s biggest Muslim population, has strict rules that ban the sharing online of content deemed obscene.—
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Sylvie's storylines are ridiculous, her wardrobe obscene, her audacity unparalleled.—
Adjective
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Four plays, 76 yards, in 25 stinking seconds.—
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This is about a team with a top-10 payroll whose GM committed too stinking much of it to dogs that can’t, or won’t, pull the sled.—
Adjective
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Merry Christmas ya filthy animals.—
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In other words, Cunha’s job is to convince the Americans now running the federal government to give Brown’s motley crew of gender-benders, anti-Semites and filthy-rich legacies a good leaving alone.—
Verb
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Keep them in reserve as a sleep sock to ward off icy toes and prevent sweat and skin oils from dirtying your down sleeping bag.—
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Garments can be dirtied again by the elements if air-dried outside.—
Verb
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Despite the cesspits of conspiracy-think that pollute contemporary politics, the specific paranoia of Letts’s characters — bugs under the skin, brainwashing, nefarious doctors in government labs — feels less blazingly relevant than comparatively quaint.—
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Chemical rockets put out huge plumes of polluting exhaust, and for a massive machine like the SpaceX Starship, with 33 first-stage engines, that can add up—especially with hundreds of launches planned.—
Cite this Entry
“Foul.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foul. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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