Definition of foul-up
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: a state of confusion or an error caused by ineptitude, carelessness, or mismanagement
foul-ups in transportation
2
: a mechanical difficulty
foul up
verb
fouled up; fouling up; fouls up
Definition of foul up (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: to make dirty : contaminate
2
: to spoil by making mistakes or using poor judgment : confuse
: to cause a foul-up : bungle
it was his fault. He had fouled up— Pat Frank
Test Your Vocabulary
Odd Habits and Quirks
-
- Which of the following best describes an easily irritated person?

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share foul-up
Time Traveler for foul-up
The first known use of foul-up was in 1880
See more words from the same year