1
as in stained
to make dirty
the mechanic fouled the bath towels with axle grease
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in polluted
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable
industrial pollution fouling the water supply
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in humiliated
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes
the minister was irreparably fouled by baseless rumors and allegations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in decomposed
to go through decomposition
unless you want to smell the organic refuse as it fouls, locate the compost heap away from the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in contaminated
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fouled
Adjective
-
Since 1995, $2.9 billion in federal funds have produced public and private investments totaling $42 billion for cleaning and redeveloping contaminated sites, and created more than 200,000 jobs.—
Janet McCabe,
The Conversation,
27 June 2025 -
Beyond creating toxins that can directly kill animals, or harm humans that eat contaminated animals, people may suffer skin irritation and respiratory problems from contact with some of these microorganisms.—
Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Verb
-
That number includes children, who represent 16 percent of those poisoned and 27 percent of all fatalities.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Apr. 2025
-
And guess what, hospitals are seeing cases of vitamin A toxicity — of kids poisoned by being fed too many vitamins instead of being vaccinated.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The second phase was meant to pave the way to an end to the war, although the truce disintegrated when Israeli forces resumed airstrikes on Gaza.—
Chantal Da Silva,
NBC news,
27 Mar. 2025
-
The premier Copley Cup — which for decades drew the nation’s elite men’s varsity eights for an early-season east/west showdown – has disintegrated into an alumni race.—
Bill Center,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
One manager, in particular, repeatedly degraded the workers, calling them racial slurs and making comments about their work ethic, the lawsuit said.—
Jennifer Rodriguez,
Kansas City Star,
20 Mar. 2025
-
If global warming is uncontrolled, 90% of all coral reefs in the world will be functionally degraded by 2050.—
Ian Dexter Palmer,
Forbes,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Quality concerns have dogged the industry for years: In 2023, four people died after using tainted eye drops made in India, and others had to have their eyeballs surgically removed.—
Katherine Dailey,
ProPublica,
18 June 2025
-
The tainted Tylenol bottles had been sold at various drugstores across the Chicago area.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
Adjective
-
Water was often impure, too, especially with the war going on.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
10 June 2025
-
This anti-establishment mindset translates to denim with dirty shades of indigo, impure neutrals and green casts, accented with pops of fiery red and pale yellow.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
30 May 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Fouled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fouled. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share