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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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of foul play
According to the release, no foul play has been identified in the years since Thompson's death and the new investigation is meant to answer any lingering questions by bringing in a fresh agency.
—
Lillian Metzmeier, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025
There is no evidence that suggests foul play in the writer’s death, Pitkin County Sheriff Michael Buglione said in a news release this week.
—Jonny Diamond, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025
The medical examiner who performed Laura Hern's autopsy did not find external signs of foul play.
—Quinlan Bentley, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2 Oct. 2025
Cathy does not believe foul play is connected to her husband’s death, according to WPIX.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foul play
Lillian Metzmeier, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025
There is no evidence that suggests foul play in the writer’s death, Pitkin County Sheriff Michael Buglione said in a news release this week.
—Jonny Diamond, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025
The medical examiner who performed Laura Hern's autopsy did not find external signs of foul play.
—Quinlan Bentley, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2 Oct. 2025
Cathy does not believe foul play is connected to her husband’s death, according to WPIX.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foul play
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foul play
Noun
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Cobb was arrested and charged with murder in the second degree and cruelty to children in the second degree, both felonies, police said.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
7 Oct. 2025
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In other fiction news, there’s a radically new take on the murder-in-a-small-town genre by Chris Kraus, fresh, unusual stories by Katherine Dunn, and a tear-jerker by Mitch Albom, among many others.—
Julia Hass,
Literary Hub,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Monster has debuted into this very fraught political moment where, despite no evidence showing a link between violence and transness, right-wingers have gone to great pains to paint almost every mass shooter who makes front page news as trans in hopes of stripping trans people of their rights.—
Mathew Rodriguez,
Them.,
7 Oct. 2025
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Companies can now detect many types of incidents involving violence in a few seconds, although some complex situations, such as self-harm and suicide, remain difficult to address through automation.—
John Wihbey,
Big Think,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The shooting marks Kansas City’s 123d homicide of 2025, compared to 123 at this time last year, according to data tracked by The Star, which includes fatal police shootings.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
10 Oct. 2025
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Salam Zia, commander of the Houston Police Department's homicide division, said the youngest victim was 20.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
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It was also measured in food, air, indoor dust and fish — as well as in breastmilk, fetal tissues and human blood.—
Sharon Lerner,
ProPublica,
10 Oct. 2025
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The study analyzed blood samples from 47 patients with severe ME/CFS and 61 healthy controls, revealing a unique pattern consistently present in patients with the condition.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Fury over Caldwell’s killing is often credited with reinvigorating American troops; as such, she is frequently included in lists of women important to the war effort.—
Caity Weaver,
The Atlantic,
8 Oct. 2025
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The episode opens with Ted Bundy continuing his killing spree, and other murderers who appear throughout include Jerry Brudos and Richard Speck.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Foul play.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foul%20play. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
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