afoul of
preposition
1
: in or into conflict with
ran afoul of the law
2
: in or into collision or entanglement with
Examples of afoul of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
However, the continued practice of using federal funds for pregnancy centers in Missouri could run afoul of new federal guidelines.
—
Anna Sago, Kansas City Star, 21 May 2024
Big European banks and other financial institutions did not want to take the enormous financial risk of re-entering business agreements that could later run afoul of new sanctions, especially if relations with the West soured again.
—David E. Sanger, New York Times, 20 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for afoul of 
Anna Sago, Kansas City Star, 21 May 2024
Big European banks and other financial institutions did not want to take the enormous financial risk of re-entering business agreements that could later run afoul of new sanctions, especially if relations with the West soured again.
—David E. Sanger, New York Times, 20 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for afoul of
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“Afoul of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/afoul%20of. Accessed 2 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
afoul of
preposition1
: in or into collision or entanglement with
one ship ran afoul of the other
2
: in or into conflict with
they fell afoul of the law
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