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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The two develop a close connection, which runs her afoul of Zuri’s mother (Anna Diop). Marlow Stern, Variety, 26 June 2026 Kara also runs afoul of this crew, and their ruthless and eccentric leader Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts) poisons her beloved Krypto. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 24 June 2026 But Michael Spilotro ran afoul of the law earlier in 1986, and was indicted on extortion and tax charges. Adam Harrington, CBS News, 23 June 2026 That raises the risk of service interruptions for companies that run afoul of US government requests. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 19 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for afoul of

Word History

Etymology

afoul "fouled, tangled," from a- entry 1 + foul entry 1

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of afoul of was in 1819

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Afoul of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/afoul%20of. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

afoul of

preposition
1
: 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster