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
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
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
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
-
The Dodgers took full advantage of the Padres’ defensive mistakes to jump-start their offense.
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Bad luck happens, but preventable mistakes almost always cause road problems.
Verb
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After South Korea’s goalkeeper fumbled a ball, Luis Romo scored the goal that gave the Mexicans six points and pushed them to the top of the standings.
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OnlyFans fumbled a previous version of this dilemma.
Verb
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Instead of perfection, Rainey strove to disarm her audience, at times intentionally tripping or starting off with a joke to humanize herself and lighten the mood, McNulty said.
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Early on in the clip, Jake Johnson’s former tennis star Dusty Boyd trips over the net and injures his wrist in a bad way.
Noun
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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.
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One 56-year-old reviewer recalled being carded while buying wine and credited the serum for the mix-up.
Verb
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The Philadelphia Phillies went into the top of the ninth inning down 8-6 to the Washington Nationals after Orion Kerkering gave up a three-run home run to blow the lead late in the game.
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While sitting on your porch or deck, a blast of air from a fan can help blow weak-flying mosquitoes away.
Verb
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There's been some stumbling plays, thwarted by tripping and dramatic falls.
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The conversation stumbles on for a few moments, but Crook can’t find the words.
Noun
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Washington Examiner columnist Guy Benson said former President Joe Biden’s moment of confusion at the Obama Presidential Center’s dedication ceremony doesn’t paint a good image for Democrats.
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Some confusion remained Saturday as to the terms of the settlement with the state, how close the parties are to that settlement and how much of the city’s street art would be removed under that agreement.
Verb
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But four years ago, Sorsby screwed up in a massive way.
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The two screwed up a top-rope stunner as Excalibur struggled to explain what happened like a 2026 Jim Ross.
Cite this Entry
“Foul-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foul-up. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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