1
as in to stain
to make dirty
unsightly mud and slush befouls the family car every winter
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to pollute
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable
the enemy had befouled the water in all of the area's wells with animal carcasses
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of befoul
Human attention is presented as an endangered public resource, befouled by the attention economy, tech companies, virtual workplaces, Slack notifications.
—
Parul Sehgal, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2023
Hundreds of women will dress up against the cold on a gray November day to protest a pipeline that could befoul their water and will almost certainly lead to the final befouling of the planet.
—Washington Post, 20 Apr. 2022
The poison of authoritarianism is as pervasive as the cloud of sulfur dioxide that befouled the air in East Germany.
—Kyle Smith, National Review, 26 Feb. 2020
Michael Kuta, 26, of the 700 block of South Addison Avenue, Villa Park, was cited for disorderly conduct – befouling property at 1:15 a.m. Nov. 28 after he was observed urinating on bushes in the 100 block of South York Street.
—Graydon Megan, chicagotribune.com, 6 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for befoul
Parul Sehgal, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2023
Hundreds of women will dress up against the cold on a gray November day to protest a pipeline that could befoul their water and will almost certainly lead to the final befouling of the planet.
—Washington Post, 20 Apr. 2022
The poison of authoritarianism is as pervasive as the cloud of sulfur dioxide that befouled the air in East Germany.
—Kyle Smith, National Review, 26 Feb. 2020
Michael Kuta, 26, of the 700 block of South Addison Avenue, Villa Park, was cited for disorderly conduct – befouling property at 1:15 a.m. Nov. 28 after he was observed urinating on bushes in the 100 block of South York Street.
—Graydon Megan, chicagotribune.com, 6 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for befoul
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befoul
Verb
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Block after block across metropolitan Milwaukee, piles of soaked carpets, waterlogged appliances and furniture stained beyond recognition now slump in front yards and along sidewalks.—
Caitlin Looby,
jsonline.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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The color is also anti-fade, and won’t stain, shrink, or wrinkle.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Flea Treatment Market Is Ripe For Innovation Though safer options exist, companies should innovate to find more solutions that protect our pets without polluting the planet.—
Arlene Blum,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
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The other is synthetic, manmade, utilitarian and crumbles within decades but pollutes the environment forever.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
29 July 2025
Verb
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McFarland had been at the nursing home since March of 2022, when he was admitted as a hospice patient with a severe case of frostbite that left his feet blackened.—
Sarah Volpenhein,
jsonline.com,
25 July 2025
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Especially when his head gave a sickening whirl, blackening for a second, and his limbs seized again.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
People.com,
24 July 2025
Verb
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As more success suddenly comes his way, McKinstry has remained the same, friendly and chuckling at his locker, dirtying his jersey and pestering opponents on the field.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
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Some were prosthetic buttocks, but others were people’s own buttocks, but in various states, like dirtied down and with partial covering.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
1 July 2025
Verb
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His publicist at the time would not comment on whether the traffic infractions and exposure may have sullied Diddy on Miami Beach.—
Howard Cohen,
Miami Herald,
13 May 2025
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Boeing had already been reeling from two deadly Max crashes in 2018 and 2019 that sullied the reputation of America's largest exporter.—
Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
27 July 2025
Verb
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The Confederate flag was carried through its premises, the flag of an old attack on this country and its (often jettisoned and besmirched but still significant) ideals of equality.—
Rebecca Solnit
January 9,
Literary Hub,
9 Jan. 2021
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Their reputations were besmirched.—
The Editors,
National Review,
17 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Designed for occasional use, like for bulky or heavily soiled items, this setting adds an extra rinse after the wash cycle to ensure laundry is thoroughly rinsed and no detergent remains.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
11 Aug. 2025
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Frying oil and jarred items were also found stored on the floor, and multiple pieces of kitchen equipment were found soiled with food debris.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
25 June 2025
Verb
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There are also sparking car engines, microwave ovens, lightning strikes, GPS signals, reflections off the ionosphere, and even bird poop on the antenna to muck things up.—
David Szondy
July 27,
New Atlas,
27 July 2025
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Two lessons: Don’t muck around with the evolutionary sequence; the dinosaurs had their time and can’t adapt to the human epoch.—
David Denby,
Vulture,
3 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Befoul.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befoul. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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