FOUL UP Synonyms: 100 Similar and Opposite Words

foul-up 1 of 2

noun

ˈfau̇(-ə)l-ˌəp

Definition of foul-up

as in mistake

an instance of confusion there was a foul-up with our mail order, and not one item arrived as ordered

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

foul up

2 of 2

verb

as in to fumble

to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way tried not to foul up the football play

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to trip

to make a mistake unfortunately, I fouled up and in my e-mail gave everyone the wrong date for the meeting

Synonyms & Similar Words

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-up

Noun

There are fewer opportunities for foul-ups and mishandling between flights when there are fewer connections and layovers. — Bailey Berg, AFAR Media, 5 Mar. 2025 That foul-up then gets included in the series of questions and answers, causing the final answer to go askew. — Lance Eliot, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024

Verb

But their strategy was fouled up when the car’s occupants switched on the headlights, throwing a glare up the tote road along which the wardens had planned to sprint. — Dave Duffey, Outdoor Life, 26 Mar. 2026 Wild turkeys gobbled up Staten Island straphangers’ time on Monday, after a flock fouled up service on the Staten Island Railway. — Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 17 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for foul-up

Recent Examples of Synonyms for foul-up

Noun

Avoiding these debt relief mistakes can help keep costs under control and improve your chances of a successful outcome.

— Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 13 July 2026
This was deliberate and not a fashion or ordered-the-wrong-size-on-Amazon mistake.

— Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 12 July 2026

Definition of mistake

Verb

Eugene Levy‘s fumbling birds and the bees talks comprise some of the funniest moments of American Pie — and most of them were improvised.

— Gwen Ihnat, Entertainment Weekly, 9 July 2026
But in her concentration, Porsha fumbled her words, which made the Faithfuls, who were desperate for a crumb of evidence so early in the game, suspicious of her sincerity.

— Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 29 June 2026

Definition of fumble

Verb

In March, Melissa Graybill, 52, watched her mother, who is 69, begin an arduous recovery journey after tripping while getting off a horse.

— Erica Sloan, Washington Post, 14 July 2026
Most drug development campaigns only discover whether candidates trip this sensor late in the game, forcing drug developers to go back to the drawing board.

— Brittany Trang, STAT, 14 July 2026

Definition of trip

Noun

The bizarre mix-up dates back to late June when Fugazi, the clothing brand, announced their new collaboration with Vans on Instagram.

— Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 6 July 2026
Ousmane Dembele — France/Paris Saint-Germain (+8) Finally scored his first career goal at a major tournament for France against Iraq, and also pounced upon a terrible defensive mix-up to coolly give Mbappe a tap-in.

— Liam Twomey, New York Times, 24 June 2026

Definition of mix-up

Verb

The huge animals knocked bodies to the cobblestones, and stumbling runners caused several pileups during the two-and-a-half-minute run from the pen to the bull ring where bullfighters will kill the bulls later in the day.

— ABC News, ABC News, 11 July 2026
The huge animals knocked down bodies to the cobblestones, and stumbling runners caused several pileups during the 2½-minute run from the pen to the bullring where bullfighters would kill the bulls later in the day.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026

Definition of stumble

Noun

The 2017 Open Championship, which Spieth won despite — perhaps because of — a 22-minute ordeal of confusion, patience and a whole lot of running up and down a steep hill of thick, shrubby dune grass.

— Brody Miller, New York Times, 14 July 2026
Still, as the clock creeped closer to midnight, and fans also heard that supposedly Jay-Z had to end the show by midnight, confusion reigned with many people suspecting the concert might get canceled.

— Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 13 July 2026

Definition of confusion

Browse Nearby Words

fouls up

foul-up

foul up

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Foul-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foul-up. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of foul-up

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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