professional foul
noun
British, soccer
: a foul that is made on purpose especially to prevent the other team from scoring a goal
Examples of professional foul in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Chelsea have lost three of their last five games in all competitions, including successive Premier League defeats to Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion, with Maresca’s side having a player sent off for a professional foul in both matches.
—
Simon Johnson, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Adams was booked for a canny professional foul which choked the visitors’ attempts to get back into the game.
—Greg O'Keeffe, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
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Simon Johnson, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Adams was booked for a canny professional foul which choked the visitors’ attempts to get back into the game.
—Greg O'Keeffe, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Professional foul.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/professional%20foul. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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