foul play

noun

Definition of foul playnext
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

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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

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 play Continue reading … CAMPUS TRAGEDY — Ole Miss names students found dead as official addresses potential for foul play. — FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2026 According to Morais, investigators did not initially observe any obvious signs of foul play. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026 McCabe said there was no obvious evidence of foul play at the scene and that a death investigation was underway. — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2026 At the time of the incident, the Tesla vehicle was not in autopilot mode, while a CHP officer told the Los Angeles Times it was believed to be an accident with no signs of foul play. — Adam England, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for foul play
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foul play
  1. murder
  2. violence
  3. homicide
  4. blood
  5. killing
Noun
  • Days before the mistrial, prosecutors dismissed first-degree murder charges against the two men after jurors deadlocked a first time.
    — Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Armour invoked the murder of Emmett Till while connecting the controversy to America’s history of White women portraying Black people as threats.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of murder
Noun
  • First, there’s the occupation and the violence itself that somehow becomes ‘normal’ or is viewed as normal.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The Israeli military has struggled to quell the latest wave of settler violence.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of violence
Noun
  • South Africa recorded 5,427 homicides from April to July, according to the country's official crime statistics.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Alyvia Cromwell, Cromwell’s sister, started a GoFundMe online fundraiser to gather donations to help the family pay for funeral costs and support the homicide victim’s 8-year-old son.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of homicide
Noun
  • Introduced crawling through the Trask family’s field, her black blood spattering their rich soil like a human pesticide, Cathy personifies the series’ potent blend of dread and beauty.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Gua sha uses flat blunt tools, often pink quartz, to press and scrape across the skin to relieve muscle tension and boost blood circulation, according to L’Oréal Paris.
    — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of blood
Noun
  • Following the killing, Pike was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, her attorneys said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Thirty-two years after Brown Simpson's brutal killing, her sister continues to alert people to the dangers of intimate partner violence.
    — Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of killing

Browse Nearby Words

foulness
foul play
fouls
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Foul play.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foul%20play. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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