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

In closing with the 34 points against Costa Rica that lifted Jamaica to 2-0 in the three-game schedule in Mexico, Powell scored five of his team’s nine points in overtime, his performance including five 3-pointers and 11 conversions from the foul line. —Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 10 Aug. 2025

Gilgeous-Alexander added eight assists and five rebounds on Sunday and converted 11 of 12 at the foul line. —Joe Vardon, New York Times, 9 June 2025

The Dodgers stacked the infield with five players, leaving left field open — and that’s where Arenado hit the ball, dropping it just inside the foul line to score Barrero. —Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2025

The former San Antonio Spurs reserve led the team in blocks (six) and offensive rebounds (12), shot 70.4% and went 8-for-8 from the foul line. —Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 18 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for foul line

• affine
• airline
• align
• aline
• assign
• baseline
• beamline
• benign
• bloodline
• bovine
• byline
• canine

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)