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
Two candidates in a Democratic primary for a seat on the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners allege the winner ran afoul of campaign finance laws.
—
Mary Ramsey
updated March 11, Charlotte Observer, 11 Mar. 2026
Those results ran afoul of the Club World Cup’s multi-ownership rule, Alajuelense argued.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 10 Mar. 2026
Soon, he's run afoul of both a terrifying gangster (Abel Ferrara) and a wealthy pen magnate (Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary).
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Mar. 2026
Mabel befriends dam-building King George (Bobby Moynihan), runs afoul of an insect queen (Meryl Streep) and meets a ton of critters, from an emoji-loving lizard to a professional killer-for-hire shark.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026
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Mary Ramsey
updated March 11, Charlotte Observer, 11 Mar. 2026
Those results ran afoul of the Club World Cup’s multi-ownership rule, Alajuelense argued.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 10 Mar. 2026
Soon, he's run afoul of both a terrifying gangster (Abel Ferrara) and a wealthy pen magnate (Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary).
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Mar. 2026
Mabel befriends dam-building King George (Bobby Moynihan), runs afoul of an insect queen (Meryl Streep) and meets a ton of critters, from an emoji-loving lizard to a professional killer-for-hire shark.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026
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 13 Mar. 2026.
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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