technical foul

noun

basketball

: a foul that is assessed to a player, coach, or team typically for unsportsmanlike conduct (such as arguing with an official or taunting an opponent) and does not usually involve physical contact with an opponent while the ball is in play

called also technical

compare personal foul

Examples of technical foul in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There were no flagrant or technical fouls on either side, though Gonzalez did catch Franz Wagner (27 points) in the face on one rebound attempt. —Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 8 Nov. 2025

The Pacers also finished without head coach Rick Carlisle, who picked up two technical fouls in the third quarter and was ejected. —Eric Koreen, New York Times, 6 Nov. 2025

After a replay review, Bane was ejected from the game after being assessed both a technical foul and a flagrant foul for his transgression. —Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 5 Nov. 2025

Rohan Nadkarni Kevin Durant tried to call a timeout the Rockets didn’t have — which should have resulted in a technical foul. —Andrew Greif, NBC news, 22 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for technical foul

• afoul
• wildfowl
• foule
• fowl
• growl
• howl
• jowl
• owl
• prowl
• scowl
• waterfowl