foul 1 of 2

adjective

ˈfau̇(-ə)l How to pronounce foul (audio)
Definition of foulnext
1
as in disgusting
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment a foul taste that made us gag

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2
as in turbulent
marked by wet and windy conditions the foul weather brought out the windbreakers and rain slickers as everyone braced for a day of rough sailing

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3
as in unfair
not being in accordance with the rules or standards of what is fair in sport an aggressive hockey player who is known for his foul play and readiness for a fight

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4
as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society that movie features nonstop foul language

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5
as in stinking
having an unpleasant smell the foul fumes from the paper mill

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6
as in filthy
not clean I wouldn't play in the foul rainwater that's collected in the feeding trough

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foul

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to dirty
to make dirty the mechanic fouled the bath towels with axle grease

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2
as in to pollute
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable industrial pollution fouling the water supply

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3
as in to humiliate
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes the minister was irreparably fouled by baseless rumors and allegations

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4
as in to rot
to go through decomposition unless you want to smell the organic refuse as it fouls, locate the compost heap away from the house

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective foul differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of foul are dirty, filthy, nasty, and squalid. While all these words mean "conspicuously unclean or impure," foul implies extreme offensiveness and an accumulation of what is rotten or stinking; it can also describe, for example, loathsome behavior.

a foul-smelling open sewer
a foul story of lust and greed

When can dirty be used instead of foul?

Although the words dirty and foul have much in common, dirty emphasizes the presence of dirt more than an emotional reaction to it or, figuratively, stresses meanness or despicableness.

a dirty littered street
don't ask me to do your dirty work

When could filthy be used to replace foul?

The meanings of filthy and foul largely overlap; however, filthy carries a strong suggestion of offensiveness and typically of gradually accumulated dirt that begrimes and besmears. Figuratively, it can also describe disgusting obscenity.

a stained greasy floor, utterly filthy
filthy street language

How is nasty related to other words for foul?

Nasty applies to what is actually foul or is repugnant to one expecting freshness, cleanliness, or sweetness; in practice, however, nasty is often weakened to the point of being no more than a synonym of unpleasant or disagreeable. When used figuratively, nasty implies a peculiarly offensive unpleasantness.

it's a nasty job to clean up after a sick cat
had a nasty fall
his answer gave her a nasty shock
a stand-up comedian known for nasty humor

When would squalid be a good substitute for foul?

In some situations, the words squalid and foul are roughly equivalent. However, squalid adds to the idea of dirtiness and filth that of slovenly neglect. Distinctively, its figurative use implies sordidness as well as baseness and dirtiness.

squalid slums
engaged in a series of squalid affairs

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of foul
Adjective
The homer, which snuck just inside the foul pole in right field, was upheld after being reviewed by umpires. —Cbs New York Team, CBS News, 7 May 2026 When the definition of what is and isn’t a foul changes, certain teams will benefit more than others based on their defensive habits. —Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 6 May 2026
Verb
His 71st pitch Friday night was a sinker to Brice Matthews, who fouled it off for Strike 2. —Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 2 May 2026 This comes four days after the the four-time All-Star came off the 10-day injured after fouling off a pitch and breaking his left big toe on April 11 in another game against the Twins. —ABC News, 2 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for foul
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foul
  1. disgusting
  2. turbulent
  3. unfair
  4. obscene
  5. stinking
  6. filthy
  7. dirty
  8. pollute
Adjective
  • This administration has unleashed a disgusting anti-immigrant agenda.
    — Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
  • Let women be monstrous, disgusting, angry, feral creatures!
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 May 2026
Definition of disgusting
Adjective
  • Overall, it's been a turbulent year for cyber stocks.
    — Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 9 May 2026
  • The sudden retirement comes after a turbulent year for the division in which the program’s full-time employees were laid off.
    — O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 8 May 2026
Definition of turbulent
Adjective
  • And disparities between a storm's classification, for example, and the actual damage on the ground could lead to unfair situations, disaster experts warn.
    — Lauren Sommer, NPR, 7 May 2026
  • How Florida’s new voting maps favor white voters Voting rights groups have criticized the new Florida maps as giving an unfair advantage to the GOP and the white communities that make up the majority of the party’s voter base.
    — Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 7 May 2026
Definition of unfair
Adjective
  • Faced with that reality, our inability to relate to one another becomes almost obscene.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 May 2026
  • For instance, the ruling recognized that the government’s need to protect national security might require it to prevent publication of the number and location of troops and that the primary requirements of decency might require censorship of obscene publications.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Apr. 2026
Definition of obscene
Adjective
  • Not the good, high-altitude ozone that shields us from dangerous UV light, but bad ozone, hovering right above ground level — stinking, brownish, grayish photochemical smog.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Their solution to a stinking run was, comically, to rely on less than 23 per cent of possession and pick Madrid off with a classy volley from Martin Satriano, below.
    — Phil Hay, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Definition of stinking
Adjective
  • Then downstairs in the filthy little basement, where there's the stone butt carved into the wall, people knew exactly what to do.
    — Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 May 2026
  • Strong supports the closing of Men’s Central Jail and said the department needed to look at medical care, filthy living conditions and a lack of healthy food and clean water.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
Definition of filthy
Verb
  • But as filming continued, Pidgeon appeared to dirty her butter blond with caramel and chocolate shades similar to Bessette-Kennedy’s, thanks to stylist Kari Hill.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026
  • With the help of your Instant Pot, spaghetti and meatballs come together in under an hour without dirtying multiple dishes.
    — Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 24 Feb. 2026
Definition of dirty
Verb
  • Water sources are often polluted through run-off from lawns that contain herbicides.
    — David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 28 Apr. 2026
  • As of last April, the state environmental agency was also lagging behind on inspections of polluting facilities, according to the audit.
    — Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 24 Apr. 2026
Definition of pollute

Phrases Containing foul

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fought shy of
foul
fouled
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Cite this Entry

“Foul.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foul. Accessed 12 May. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on foul

Nglish: Translation of foul for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about foul

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