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
Rather, inflation had arisen from supply chain foul-ups caused by the Covid epidemic, an act of God rendered worse by comic-opera mismanagement under President Donald Trump.
—Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 30 June 2023
Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 5 Feb. 2026
The funding lapse led to delayed or suspended economic data, wreaked havoc at airports as flights were canceled due to air traffic controller shortages and fouled up the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
—Fred Imbert, CNBC, 13 Nov. 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
Rather, inflation had arisen from supply chain foul-ups caused by the Covid epidemic, an act of God rendered worse by comic-opera mismanagement under President Donald Trump.
—Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 30 June 2023
Verb
These people are aiming to foul up the central database.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 5 Feb. 2026
The funding lapse led to delayed or suspended economic data, wreaked havoc at airports as flights were canceled due to air traffic controller shortages and fouled up the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
—Fred Imbert, CNBC, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foul-up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foul-up
Noun
-
There were almost too many mistakes to count.—
Jeffrey Eugenides,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Getting your taxes done early can help reduce stress, avoid last-minute mistakes, and give you more time to fix any issues, such as missing forms or incorrect personal information.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Andrea Pinamonti’s sublime strike helped Sassuolo fight back to win 2-1 as Cagliari fumbled a precious lead.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
With the title in their grasp, the Ducks have greased up their fingers, fumbling into a four-game winless slump.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Depending on your space, make sure each seat has an easy entry and exit in the furniture grouping to avoid tripping or crowding.—
Jessica Bennett,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Apr. 2026
-
But there were too many moments early in the game in which the Illini looked out of control, badly missing shots, tripping on their drives.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In addition to Reynolds’ gaffe, the Pirates cost themselves a prime scoring opportunity with a mix-up on the bases in the second inning.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
-
An embarrassing mix-up led to Lille's second goal.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Duke would make the 2025 Final Four before blowing a lead and getting upset by Houston in the national semifinal.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Kawhi Leonard scored 34 points, hitting six 3-pointers, and the Los Angeles Clippers recovered after blowing a 23-point lead to beat rookie Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks 116-103 on Tuesday night.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Hunters exploring in a remote section of the 500,000-acre Pisgah National Forest stumbled onto a body in the dark, according to investigators in western North Carolina.—
Mark Price
April 5,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Apr. 2026
-
In the clip, the two actors stumble backwards into the glass before falling through and out of the frame.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Outside, the street was now clogged with driverless cars, their high beams on, in confusion, in paralysis, lacking any traffic lights to tell them what to do.—
Catherine Lacey,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The confusion allowed the CIA to uncover the location of the service member, who was hiding in a mountain crevice, the official said.—
Seung Min Kim,
Fortune,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But what really screws up Julia are the deliveries.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The Sens are going to lose their pick for nothing at all, because of how a GM their fans didn’t like screwed up a trade his team wasn’t even involved in.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Foul-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foul-up. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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