1
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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2
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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3
as in disgusting
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment
a foul taste that made us gag
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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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Examples of foul in a Sentence
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples on the Web
Josh Broadwell, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2024
Few things are more off-putting than taking a drink of water or washing dishes only to encounter a foul odor.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Oct. 2024
Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 9 Oct. 2024
They are each connected to shore by miles of oil-carrying pipeline, and spills have fouled the sea multiple times since the area was first developed in the 1970s.
—Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for foul 
Adjective
Editor’s picks The only path to Louis, and the prince’s salvation, involves winning the hearts of the people by means fair or foul, so the group joins the competition for the crown and sets off around the kingdom on the world’s most convoluted assassination mission.
—Josh Broadwell, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2024
Few things are more off-putting than taking a drink of water or washing dishes only to encounter a foul odor.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Oct. 2024
Verb
Sacramento center Alex Len fouled Green from behind after a broken play, to Green’s dismay.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 9 Oct. 2024
They are each connected to shore by miles of oil-carrying pipeline, and spills have fouled the sea multiple times since the area was first developed in the 1970s.
—Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for foul
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foul
Adjective
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Camille was the very smart widow who led the company through the turbulent 1930’s, and insured its success into the future.Liz Thach, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
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Then came the two-week journey down the turbulent Yukon River to Dawson, for which travelers had to build their own boats.Melanie Haiken, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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The company is facing a litany of unfair labor practice allegations from the union and from labor board officials.Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2024
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Hearing her speak about her ambition and the unfair expectations placed on women has empowered so many women of different colors, of different cultures.Morgan Smith,Jennifer Liu, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Those who are calling her disgusting and shaming her, and those who are encouraging her to pull through this moment of being overwhelmed by motherhood.Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 23 Oct. 2024
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Los Angeles, a team under new coach Jim Harbaugh that was built to run first, second and third, was playing the Arizona Cardinals, which boasts of a rush defense which deviates between dreadful and disgusting.Jay Paris, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Declan, quite a serious character in the novel, proceeds to drink obscene amounts of whiskey and smoke intellectually in the bath, glowering beneath his mustache.Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 1 Nov. 2024
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Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe got most of the attention for his racist routine, but the event was filled with bigotry and obscene references.Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 31 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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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.Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 22 Dec. 2019
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Muttaiah said the man inside the stinking manhole was working without any safety equipment — no gloves, no shoes, no supplemental oxygen.Joanna Slater, Washington Post, 16 Dec. 2019
Adjective
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Other offerings include Jules’ filthy hot ham and roll and Marvin’s chili.Erik S. Hanley, Journal Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2024
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The carbonation of Coke can work its magic on filthy rings, lime buildup, and water stains.Michelle Darrisaw, Southern Living, 8 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Instead, Walz seems to have little to say about factory farming dirtying the state’s waterways.Kenny Torrella, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
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Garments can be dirtied again by the elements if air-dried outside.Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 July 2024
Verb
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In April, the EPA cracked down on polluting cities and companies, setting legal limits on PFAS in drinking water.Chris Stokel-Walker, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024
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One of them, Galena Park, is near the Ship Channel, an area east of downtown known for its close proximity to polluting petrochemical plants and flood risks.Mark Dent, thehustle.co, 18 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near foul
Cite this Entry
“Foul.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foul. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.
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