foul play

noun

: violence
especially : murder

Examples of foul play in a Sentence

There is no evidence of foul play. the coroner ruled that there was no evidence of foul play
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 cases showed no signs of foul play, police said. Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 5 Nov. 2025 No evidence has yet suggested terrorism or deliberate foul play, and hazardous chemicals present around the site are believed to belong to local businesses, not cargo. Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025 While historians long theorized that foul play may have played a role in the death of the ruler, more recent DNA analysis suggests that Tutankhamen likely died from a combination of malaria and a bone disorder, per Live Science. Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025 Investigators found no evidence of foul play and the case was closed as a non-criminal death investigation, officials said. Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 27 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for foul play

Word History

First Known Use

1546, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of foul play was in 1546

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Foul play.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foul%20play. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

foul play

noun
: unfair dealing : dishonest conduct
especially : violence sense 1
a victim of foul play

More from Merriam-Webster on foul play

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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