fall/run afoul of
idiom
chiefly US
: to get into trouble because of not obeying or following (the law, a rule, etc.)
After leaving home he fell afoul of the law.
an investor who has run afoul of stock market rules
Examples of fall/run afoul of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Elizabeth MacDonough, the Senate parliamentarian, ruled that provisions in the bill run afoul of the Byrd Rule and must be taken out for the legislation to pass by a simple majority vote using the budget reconciliation process.
—
Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 20 June 2025
Some legal experts say Trump's delays run afoul of the law banning TikTok, which allows for a single 90-day extension but only if certain conditions are met, like certifying to Congress that a divestiture from ByteDance is in motion.
—John Ruwitch, NPR, 18 June 2025
House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, pushed for a leaner budget this year, saying state government spending had swollen and run afoul of conservative values.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 14 June 2025
Dever also criticized the evidence presented by Coley regarding whether the eligibility rules have a sufficiently anticompetitive effect on the labor market of D-I football players to run afoul of antitrust law.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 10 June 2025
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Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 20 June 2025
Some legal experts say Trump's delays run afoul of the law banning TikTok, which allows for a single 90-day extension but only if certain conditions are met, like certifying to Congress that a divestiture from ByteDance is in motion.
—John Ruwitch, NPR, 18 June 2025
House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, pushed for a leaner budget this year, saying state government spending had swollen and run afoul of conservative values.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 14 June 2025
Dever also criticized the evidence presented by Coley regarding whether the eligibility rules have a sufficiently anticompetitive effect on the labor market of D-I football players to run afoul of antitrust law.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fall/run afoul of
Cite this Entry
“Fall/run afoul of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fall%2Frun%20afoul%20of. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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