foul line

noun

1
: either of two straight lines extending from the rear corner of home plate through the outer corners of first and third base respectively and prolonged to the boundary of a baseball field
2
: a line across a bowling alley that a player must not step over when delivering the ball
3
: either of two lines on a basketball court parallel to and 15 feet from the backboards behind which a player must stand while shooting a free throw

Examples of foul line in a Sentence

The ball landed just inside the right-field foul line.
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.
In the last two games of this series — both wins for Oklahoma City — Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander lived at the foul line, with 47 foul shots between them. Joe Vardon, New York Times, 17 June 2025 Seiya Suzuki lifted a fly to right that Benson watched drop just inside the foul line near the Marquee Sports Network advertisement, resulting in a run-scoring double. Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 31 May 2025 The Celtics also kept Brunson and the rest of his Knicks teammates off the foul line until the final two minutes of the first half, attempting 15 free throws before New York took its first. Zack Cox, Sun Sentinel, 13 May 2025 The third-year pro, who is currently participating in his first postseason, hit jumpers, attacked the paint, and earned trips to the foul line on his way to 20 points in 12.5 minutes of play. Tony East, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for foul line

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of foul line was in 1868

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Foul line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foul%20line. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

foul line

noun
1
: either of two straight lines running from the rear corner of home plate through first and third base on to the boundary of a baseball field
2
: a line across which a player must not step (as when bowling or shooting a free throw)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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