1
as in disgusting
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment
a foul taste that made us gag
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in stinking
having an unpleasant smell
the foul fumes from the paper mill
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to dirty
to make dirty
the mechanic fouled the bath towels with axle grease
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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
industrial pollution fouling the water supply
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of foul
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
28 June 2026
Still, Devers got enough barrel on the ball to pull it down the right-field line and clank it off the foul pole, winning free chicken for those in attendance.
—
Justice Delos Santos,
Mercury News,
28 June 2026
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 June 2026
Arraez fouled a ball off the top of his right foot in the bottom of the first inning on Tuesday, immediately dropping to the ground in pain but ultimately staying in the game.
—
Justice Delos Santos,
Mercury News,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for foul
Adjective
And then in the third, borderline, foul-ball homer right there.
—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
28 June 2026
Still, Devers got enough barrel on the ball to pull it down the right-field line and clank it off the foul pole, winning free chicken for those in attendance.
—
Justice Delos Santos,
Mercury News,
28 June 2026
Verb
Surviving quality work by King in the nine-pitch duel, Freeman fouled off three different types of full-count pitches.
—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 June 2026
Arraez fouled a ball off the top of his right foot in the bottom of the first inning on Tuesday, immediately dropping to the ground in pain but ultimately staying in the game.
—
Justice Delos Santos,
Mercury News,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for foul
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foul
Adjective
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French broadcaster French Pierron was under fire for calling childbirth 'a disgusting moment.
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How to make the moment scary but watchable, disgusting but entrancing?
Adjective
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Directed by Guadagnino from a screenplay by Saturday Night Live alum Simon Rich, Artificial explores Sam Altman’s OpenAI and the company’s turbulent period in 2023 when he was fired and rehired in a matter of days.
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The trauma of a turbulent household had aged her beyond her years.
Adjective
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His conviction was overturned in 2024 when his lawyers argued the first trial was unfair when the court allowed other accusers to testify.
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Hilton, running on a platform of affordability and lowering taxes, has seized on the sentiment, casting health coverage for immigrants without legal status as deeply unfair and a direct threat to the state’s ability to help citizens.
Adjective
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Counterculture Yippies would turn up at a 1970 Blood, Sweat & Tears show at Madison Square Garden, carrying obscene banners outside and dumping manure by the front gate.
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Yippies would turn up at a 1970 Blood, Sweat & Tears show at Madison Square Garden, carrying obscene banners outside and dumping manure by the front gate.
Adjective
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America’s political landscape has become a stinking mess.
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America’s political landscape has become a stinking mess.
Adjective
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Margera tried to soothe the pain by submerging his fresh brand in a tub of filthy farm water, which resulted in a life-threatening staph infection that landed him in the hospital.
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Outside the Lineage warehouse Thursday morning, the smell of heavy smoke was already being replaced with that of spoiling food and filthy water.
Verb
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The spoon even comes with measuring lines for a teaspoon and tablespoon, saving you from having to dirty another utensil.
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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.
Verb
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The solution is to support federal and state legislation that encourages lower-cost, less-polluting renewable energy to speed up the transition away from environmentally damaging fossil fuels.
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Plastics degrade into microplastics, which in humans have been linked to cancer, reproductive problems, and other health issues, and which are polluting ecosystems from coral reefs to Antarctica.
Cite this Entry
“Foul.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foul. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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