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 foulExamples of technical foul in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Bane received a technical foul.
—
CBS News, 7 Dec. 2025
At first, the casual observer might’ve thought Sago was calling a technical foul on Ball for raising his arms in disgust, believing he got hacked on his drive to the bucket.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 6 Dec. 2025
Portis also received a technical foul.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 4 Dec. 2025
Crews was on the receiving end of his own technical foul in the second half.
—Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for technical foul
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CBS News, 7 Dec. 2025
At first, the casual observer might’ve thought Sago was calling a technical foul on Ball for raising his arms in disgust, believing he got hacked on his drive to the bucket.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 6 Dec. 2025
Portis also received a technical foul.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 4 Dec. 2025
Crews was on the receiving end of his own technical foul in the second half.
—Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for technical foul
Cite this Entry
“Technical foul.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/technical%20foul. Accessed 8 Dec. 2025.
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