1
as in murder
the intentional and unlawful taking of another person's life
the coroner ruled that there was no evidence of foul play
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in violence
the use of brute strength to cause harm to a person or property
the suspect has a long history of foul play, and was once convicted on assault and battery charges
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of foul play
The son told the Times there were no signs of foul play or mechanical failure.
—
The Sacramento Bee,
Sacbee.com,
19 June 2026
Investigators do not suspect foul play, and the vehicle, which had plenty of gas, showed no signs of mechanical failure.
—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
19 June 2026
The child's death remained under investigation on Friday, but police said foul play is not suspected.
—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Although a cause of death was not confirmed, police do not suspect any foul play as of this writing.
—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for foul play
The Sacramento Bee,
Sacbee.com,
19 June 2026
Investigators do not suspect foul play, and the vehicle, which had plenty of gas, showed no signs of mechanical failure.
—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
19 June 2026
The child's death remained under investigation on Friday, but police said foul play is not suspected.
—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Although a cause of death was not confirmed, police do not suspect any foul play as of this writing.
—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for foul play
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foul play
Noun
-
Matos is charged with murder, carjacking, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in personal injury.
-
Directed by Hong Kong’s Frankie Tam, the film draws on Hong Kong’s first murder case solved entirely through forensic evidence and without eyewitness testimony.
Noun
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South African and Malawian authorities have been coordinating in recent weeks to facilitate the repatriation of thousands of Malawian citizens gathered at the site in Durban, claiming to flee anti-migrant tensions and fears of violence.
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The attack on James came in the midst of a sharp rise in anti-migrant sentiment in South Africa in recent months, when there have been marches calling for immigrants in the country illegally to leave and reports of violence against some foreign nationals.
Noun
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Police said there were no signs of trauma or foul play and homicide detectives are investigating.
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Pino faced charges of manslaughter and vessel homicide in connection with the crash, which killed 17-year-old Lucy Fernandez.
Noun
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Sensipar, which is also sold under the generic name cinacalcet hydrochloride, is prescribed to patients with chronic kidney disease and high levels of calcium in the blood related to parathyroid gland conditions, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
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The next day, the chef woke up experiencing severe and intense blood loss.
Noun
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The killing of the Montreal police officer is the first death in the line of duty in the city in decades, Dagher said.
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About a week after Kirk’s killing, Benjamin observed a minute of silence in his honor at the end of an assembly, which was followed by an invitation to gather at a flagpole and pray.
Cite this Entry
“Foul play.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foul%20play. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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