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
Texas has run afoul of that law twice over the past decade.
—
Silas Allen, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2025
Noem’s overtly partisan message may run afoul of the law, legal experts told McClatchy News.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2025
Some journalists argued that such activity as posting a call for tips on social media would run afoul of the rules.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2025
This allows both employers and employees to sever the relationship more cleanly, without automatically running afoul of various labor laws.
—Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for afoul of
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Silas Allen, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2025
Noem’s overtly partisan message may run afoul of the law, legal experts told McClatchy News.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2025
Some journalists argued that such activity as posting a call for tips on social media would run afoul of the rules.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2025
This allows both employers and employees to sever the relationship more cleanly, without automatically running afoul of various labor laws.
—Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for afoul of
Cite this Entry
“Afoul of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/afoul%20of. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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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