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.
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
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
John Nogowski, Hartford Courant, 25 Mar. 2025
This brings back the Bilas comment from long ago on fouling up two.
—Joe Rexrode, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 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
But Paige has been there, injuries fouling up her career, too.
—John Nogowski, Hartford Courant, 25 Mar. 2025
This brings back the Bilas comment from long ago on fouling up two.
—Joe Rexrode, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foul-up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foul-up
Noun
-
Skull emoji: This emoji is often used to mock someone's mistake or appearance.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
21 July 2025
-
But when mistakes are punished or hidden, innovation stops in its tracks.—
IESE Business School,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
Verb
-
But then Superman lost flight and Warners fumbled the lucrative Reeve franchise greatly.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
8 July 2025
-
Ferguson couldn't find the end zone once, and even fumbled the ball four times, after preventing fumbles entirely during his first two seasons in the league.—
Justin Grasso,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 June 2025
Verb
-
With no direct service, plane trips back to the U.S. can take upwards of 19 hours.—
William P. Barrett,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
-
Filmmakers clearly constructed all these scenes, a fact that neither trips our ethical wires nor stops our biological reactions.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
16 July 2025
Noun
-
Four Lessons From The Field From the Microsoft mix-up to real-world calamities, there are critical takeaways for any security-conscious organization: 1.—
Chris Bowen,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
The mix-up between siblings leads to another irreversible loss and becomes the basis for a final deal between Alba and Manon.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
9 July 2025
Verb
-
In the marquee Challenger matchup of the weekend, a rematch of the Mid-Season final, Las Vegas blew the doors off of Nashville.—
Todd Boss,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
-
Kaus was setting up the umbrella when a gust of wind blew her off a lifeguard stand, dropping her on the point end of the 1-inch metal pole, NJ.com reported.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
21 July 2025
Verb
-
Symptoms include shivering, memory loss, stumbling, confusion and sleepiness.—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
23 July 2025
-
Nonetheless, everything in Yountville is a short stroll, or stumble, from Jessup.—
Lela London,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
Noun
-
This leads to confusion and frustration when their air conditioning is unexpectedly limited.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
14 July 2025
-
Amid uncertainty and confusion, people turn to leaders who promise to guide them out of darkness.—
Emi Eleode,
Time,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
Democrats are facing pressure to fight Trump, Republicans are cutting spending with the rescissions package, and somehow Congress always finds a way to screw up the regular spending bill process.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
22 July 2025
-
Now the most popular thing on this carnival ride is the Home Run Derby, which isn’t baseball, but a show of strength — and to me, a clown show with juiced baseballs. Tatis wisely chose to skip this Derby, which has been known to screw up swings.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Foul-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foul-up. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share