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
According to a preliminary investigation, the agency reported, no foul play is suspected in the deaths.
—
Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
He is believed to have been alone at the time of the incident, and no foul play is suspected based on preliminary findings, according to the release.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026
Police said there is no indication of foul play.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 6 Feb. 2026
Andrew Noblett has said no foul play is suspected, but officials will continue to treat the incident as an active investigation.
—Caroline Silva, AJC.com, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for foul play
Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
He is believed to have been alone at the time of the incident, and no foul play is suspected based on preliminary findings, according to the release.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026
Police said there is no indication of foul play.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 6 Feb. 2026
Andrew Noblett has said no foul play is suspected, but officials will continue to treat the incident as an active investigation.
—Caroline Silva, AJC.com, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for foul play
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foul play
Noun
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Colt Gray, now 16, has been indicted on 55 felony counts, including four counts of malice murder, according to court documents.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
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Now, as a reporter, Camille returns to her hometown to cover an unsolved murder while staying in her childhood home.—
Amanda Favazza,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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But some experts on gun violence are still wary of endorsing the program.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
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The film delves into young sisters’ lives shaped by ancestral violence and the lasting impact of abuse.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Chatham County Police Department is investigating the crash and has charged Vasquez Lopez with reckless driving, driving without a valid license, failure to obey a traffic control device, and first-degree homicide by vehicle, the agency shared online.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
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The Hanover Police Department has placed Thomas Hayes, 36, on leave, as the officer faces charges of motor vehicle homicide and leaving the scene of an accident following personal injury or death.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Beyond stellar evolution, the computational techniques developed for the study could help researchers model complex flows in oceans, atmospheres, and even blood circulation.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
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Before 2017, the blood in period advertising was blue.—
Ralph Jones,
HubSpot,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The operation also resulted in the killing of two US citizens, the deployment of aggressive tactics by armed, masked DHS agents, and a soaring sense of trepidation permeating Minnesota’s immigrant communities.—
Yahya Salem,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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Under Belgian law, circumcision is supposed to be performed by medical professionals, with the country also recently prohibiting Jewish kosher slaughter, or shechita, which requires animals to be conscious at the time of their killing.—
Naomi Lim,
The Washington Examiner,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Foul play.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foul%20play. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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