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
Some investors, domestic and overseas, have managed firms that ran afoul of U.S. regulations.
—
Eric Lipton, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
Political statements normally run afoul of Cornwell’s philosophy for higher education.
—Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2025
In the six years since Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker took office, members of the Illinois General Assembly have run afoul of the law at a staggering pace, even for a body with a history of greed and graft stretching back more than a century.
—Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2025
But applying this playbook to China runs afoul of present-day realities.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for afoul of
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Eric Lipton, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
Political statements normally run afoul of Cornwell’s philosophy for higher education.
—Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2025
In the six years since Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker took office, members of the Illinois General Assembly have run afoul of the law at a staggering pace, even for a body with a history of greed and graft stretching back more than a century.
—Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2025
But applying this playbook to China runs afoul of present-day realities.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 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 7 May. 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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