1
as in to stain
to make dirty
unsightly mud and slush befouls the family car every winter
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to pollute
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of befoul
Capitalism is degrading us, killing us and befouling our world.
—
Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 8 June 2023
At a 2019 commencement address, Mr. Adams told a story about intimidating a neighbor whose dog was befouling his yard.
—Emma G. Fitzsimmons, New York Times, 1 June 2023
This roman à clef series begins with the patriarch of the Roy clan, Logan (Brian Cox), urinating on a carpet (evoking The Big Lebowski, befouling us).
—Armond White, National Review, 5 Apr. 2023
Michael Kuta, 26, of the 700 block of South Addison Avenue, Villa Park, was cited for disorderly conduct – befouling property at 1:15 a.m. Nov. 28 after he was observed urinating on bushes in the 100 block of South York Street.
—Graydon Megan, chicagotribune.com, 6 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for befoul
Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 8 June 2023
At a 2019 commencement address, Mr. Adams told a story about intimidating a neighbor whose dog was befouling his yard.
—Emma G. Fitzsimmons, New York Times, 1 June 2023
This roman à clef series begins with the patriarch of the Roy clan, Logan (Brian Cox), urinating on a carpet (evoking The Big Lebowski, befouling us).
—Armond White, National Review, 5 Apr. 2023
Michael Kuta, 26, of the 700 block of South Addison Avenue, Villa Park, was cited for disorderly conduct – befouling property at 1:15 a.m. Nov. 28 after he was observed urinating on bushes in the 100 block of South York Street.
—Graydon Megan, chicagotribune.com, 6 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for befoul
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befoul
Verb
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Worshippers arriving for the day's first prayers found the damage and a smoldering fire that spewed black smoke across the entrance of the Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq Mosque in the town of Tell, near Nablus, and stained the ornate doorway.—
AREF TUFAHA,
Arkansas Online,
24 Feb. 2026
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Don’t toss that scratched-up, questionably stained, borderline EPA Superfund site, 12-year-old cutting board just yet!—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Others live and work near polluting freeways.—
Dorany Pineda,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Trump blamed Democrats, including Moore, for the spill that has polluted the river that cuts through Washington, DC.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The venerable monk was draped in his maroon and saffron robe, his bare feet looking ashen with dust, a few of his toes still blackened from his arduous walk.—
Sarah Hepola,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Feb. 2026
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As the salmon blackens in a skillet, the spices awaken, encrusting the fish in peppery piquant.—
The Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But as filming continued, Pidgeon appeared to dirty her butter blond with caramel and chocolate shades similar to Bessette-Kennedy’s, thanks to stylist Kari Hill.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
25 Feb. 2026
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With the help of your Instant Pot, spaghetti and meatballs come together in under an hour without dirtying multiple dishes.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Social media was full of people accusing Canada of sullying the great sport and sportsmanship of curling.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
14 Feb. 2026
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Yasmin, who was ousted from Pierpoint after a tabloid scandal involving her publishing-magnate father threatened to sully the bank by association, has turned to another undependable man for salvation, proposing to an aristocratic failson called Sir Henry Muck (Kit Harington).—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Imagine having the gall to besmirch the name of a young mother killed for trying to speak up for her neighbors or of an ICU nurse shot in the back for trying to tend to a woman who had been pepper-sprayed in the face.—
Sasha Abramsky,
Washington Post,
2 Feb. 2026
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The lack of awards buzz shouldn’t besmirch Amanda Seyfried’s performance here, though, which is great.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Both of his arms are in the sleeves, and his bourgeois father is kneeling on the floor, taking the shirt in order to conserve it, perhaps saving it from being soiled.—
Theo Belci,
Artforum,
27 Feb. 2026
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Wash items from least to most soiled in hot water and rinse in another basin for maximum efficiency.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Whether shoveling your driveway, building a snow man with the kids, or just generally mucking around in the cold, sleet and snow, Muck Boots will keep you comfortable and protected.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
16 Feb. 2026
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Siniaková, the No. 1 doubles player in the world, started to muck things up, and Anisimova’s serve began to stray.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
25 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Befoul.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befoul. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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