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
1
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
2
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.
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Recent Examples of foul-up
Lance Eliot, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024
Many have faulted Cuba’s Stalinist bureaucratic centralization, but few critiques are as replete with concrete examples of foolishness and foul-ups.
—Richard Feinberg, Foreign Affairs, 1 Jan. 2012
Joe Rexrode, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
In between those foul shots, the Jayhawks intentionally fouled up three.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 29 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foul-up
Noun
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
Many have faulted Cuba’s Stalinist bureaucratic centralization, but few critiques are as replete with concrete examples of foolishness and foul-ups.
—Richard Feinberg, Foreign Affairs, 1 Jan. 2012
Verb
This brings back the Bilas comment from long ago on fouling up two.
—Joe Rexrode, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
In between those foul shots, the Jayhawks intentionally fouled up three.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 29 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foul-up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foul-up
Noun
-
Choosing smoothies low in protein and fiber, adding sugary ingredients to your smoothie, and using low-calorie smoothies as meal replacements are just some of the smoothie mistakes that could be sabotaging your weight loss efforts.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
3 June 2025
-
The teenager from India, under pressure throughout much of the game, capitalized on a rare mistake from the Norwegian veteran to seize victory.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 June 2025
Verb
-
United goalkeeper Altay Bayındır fumbled the ball on the edge of his area, allowing Villa forward Morgan Rogers to take possession and put the ball into the net.—
George Ramsay,
CNN Money,
26 May 2025
-
Minnesota Vikings: Aaron Jones — Jones came up in the discussion about fumbling, but that will not stop him from being the leading backfield producer for the Vikings.—
Jake Ciely,
New York Times,
21 May 2025
Verb
-
Piper Niven tripped Vega while Green was distracting the referee before Raw went to break.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
-
There’s never been any danger that Christopher McQuarrie would trip, fall, and accidentally make Barry Lyndon.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
30 May 2025
Noun
-
Michelle Williams recalls Busy Philipps telling Ben Affleck to 'do something' during Oscars Best Picture mix-up Joining Humes, Williams, Van Der Beek, Holmes, and Jackson on the series were Kerr Smith, Meredith Monroe, Busy Phillips, and Mary Beth Peil, who played Williams' grandmother Evelyn.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
9 June 2025
-
From getting delayed due to a flat tire, to an annoying reservation mix-up at the hotel they were supposed to be staying at (the kids deserve all the credit here for not throwing a fit), Gomez and Zahn’s script requires the trio to brave a variety of awkward situations.—
Tomris Laffly,
Variety,
9 June 2025
Verb
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Failing to install the tax would blow an additional $80 million hole in Chicago’s 2026 budget as the city already faces a budget gap of around $1 billion, Budget Director Annette Guzman said.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
4 June 2025
-
Wind blows the dust into the atmosphere and begins moving it westward over the Atlantic Ocean.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 June 2025
Verb
-
While sorting through storage in their Rhode Island studio to prep those reissues, Ivy stumbled upon a treasure trove of reel-to-reel tapes and old hard drives with unused material.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
4 June 2025
-
On a remote island in northern Norway, metal detectorists stumbled upon a pair of bronze treasures.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2025
Noun
-
Some of those who chose to evacuate didn’t do so promptly, and there was widespread confusion whether evacuation was necessary at all.—
Rong-Gong Lin II,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2025
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Two recent scientific reviews performed by the British National Health Service and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found little scientific support for the use of puberty blockers, hormone therapies, and surgery for youth with gender confusion.—
Krista Kafer,
Denver Post,
7 June 2025
Verb
-
Bigger predators screwing up your fishing, however, is just part of the game from time to time.—
Joe Cermele,
Outdoor Life,
29 May 2025
-
As the professional in the room, that face is often screwed up in frustration when the camera isn’t rolling.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
18 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Foul-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foul-up. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.
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