befoul

befoul

verb

Definition of BEFOUL

1

to make dirty <unsightly mud and slush befouls the family car every winter>

Synonyms befoul, begrime, bemire, besmirch, blacken, daub, distain [archaic], foul, gaum [dialect], grime, mire, muck, muddy, smirch, smudge, soil, stain, sully

Related Words contaminate, defile, pollute, taint; discolor; confuse, disarrange, disarray, dishevel, disorder, draggle, jumble, mess, muddle; colly [chiefly British dialect], crock [dialect]

Near Antonyms decontaminate, purge, purify; disinfect, sanitize; brush, dry-clean, dust, launder, mop, rinse, scour, scrub, sweep, wash, wipe; brighten, deodorize, freshen, renew, spruce (up); straighten (up), tidy (up)

Antonyms clean, cleanse

2

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 befoul, defile, foul, poison, pollute, taint

Related Words infect; begrime, besmirch, blacken, dirty, foul up, grime, mire, muddy, smirch, smudge, soil, stain, sully; corrupt, rot, spoil; adulterate, doctor; dilute, water down

Near Antonyms clarify, clean, cleanse, clear, distill (also distil), purge; filter; disinfect, sanitize, sterilize

Antonyms decontaminate, purify