as in contaminated
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1
as in stained
to make dirty
the mechanic fouled the bath towels with axle grease
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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
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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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fouled
Zach Harper, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Peterson slammed a ferocious dunk while being fouled late in the second half against Utah.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 8 Feb. 2026
Then Wyoming’s Uriyah Rojas made a running bank shot, was fouled and made the free throw with 48 seconds left – 72-60.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Zitko took an entry pass from sophomore forward Katie Walker, was fouled and split a pair of free throws.
—Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
The Broncos got to keep the ball with nine seconds left on the clock, and senior guard Dylan Andrews was fouled on the inbounds play.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 4 Feb. 2026
Mia Corona’s layup pulled the host Highlanders within 59-57 with 10 seconds left but Tanijiri was fouled intentionally on the inbounds pass and made the clutch free throws that kept the Patriots in contention for the top seed in the City Section Open Division playoffs.
—Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Off a steal and pass from Williams, Summers threw down a thunderous dunk and was fouled.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Kennesaw State recovered the loose ball, and forward Frankquon Sherman made two free throws after being fouled for the final 3-point margin.
—Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 29 Jan. 2026
ABC News, 13 Feb. 2026
The incident took place midway through the third quarter after Duren was fouled by Diabaté while driving toward the basket.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
The incident began when Duren was backing down Diabate in the paint, and the latter fouled the former with around seven minutes to play in the third quarter.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Midway through the third quarter Duren was driving toward the basket when he was fouled by Diabate.
—CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Ace Austin, who was fouled by Ware prior to the technical, made 1 of 2 free throws before Salese Blow sank two for the technical and the Aggies led 67-65.
—Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
The funniest bit was Szoboszlai trying to convince Pawson that he had been fouled before the referee went to the monitor.
—Simon Hughes, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Then Spoelstra referenced the Heat’s first defensive possessions of Friday’s third quarter, when Celtics forward Jaylen Brown made a six-footer while being fouled by Heat forward Simone Fontecchio.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
In the summer of 1967, Chicago’s lakefront was fouled by millions of dead fish.
—Theodore J. Karamanski, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Karl-Anthony Towns knocked down two free throws after being fouled on a game-tying putback attempt at the buzzer to force overtime.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Peterson slammed a ferocious dunk while being fouled late in the second half against Utah.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 8 Feb. 2026
Then Wyoming’s Uriyah Rojas made a running bank shot, was fouled and made the free throw with 48 seconds left – 72-60.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Zitko took an entry pass from sophomore forward Katie Walker, was fouled and split a pair of free throws.
—Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
The Broncos got to keep the ball with nine seconds left on the clock, and senior guard Dylan Andrews was fouled on the inbounds play.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 4 Feb. 2026
Mia Corona’s layup pulled the host Highlanders within 59-57 with 10 seconds left but Tanijiri was fouled intentionally on the inbounds pass and made the clutch free throws that kept the Patriots in contention for the top seed in the City Section Open Division playoffs.
—Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Off a steal and pass from Williams, Summers threw down a thunderous dunk and was fouled.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Kennesaw State recovered the loose ball, and forward Frankquon Sherman made two free throws after being fouled for the final 3-point margin.
—Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
Schnall fouled Ishbia in the first quarter, and Ishbia hit the free throws in a throwback to his Michigan State playing days.
—ABC News, 13 Feb. 2026
The incident took place midway through the third quarter after Duren was fouled by Diabaté while driving toward the basket.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
The incident began when Duren was backing down Diabate in the paint, and the latter fouled the former with around seven minutes to play in the third quarter.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Midway through the third quarter Duren was driving toward the basket when he was fouled by Diabate.
—CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Ace Austin, who was fouled by Ware prior to the technical, made 1 of 2 free throws before Salese Blow sank two for the technical and the Aggies led 67-65.
—Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
The funniest bit was Szoboszlai trying to convince Pawson that he had been fouled before the referee went to the monitor.
—Simon Hughes, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Then Spoelstra referenced the Heat’s first defensive possessions of Friday’s third quarter, when Celtics forward Jaylen Brown made a six-footer while being fouled by Heat forward Simone Fontecchio.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
In the summer of 1967, Chicago’s lakefront was fouled by millions of dead fish.
—Theodore J. Karamanski, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fouled
Adjective
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Leptospirosis can also be found in contaminated water or soil and is spread by rodents.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Dealing with repairs because of the contaminated gas?—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Gooday explained that red hone is blue hone that has been stained by iron materials.—
Asuka Koda,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Classic raised garden beds made of wood and stained to protect them from the elements are a good way to pack a lot of plants into a small space.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Public spaces are routinely polluted by blaring music packed with profanity and racial slurs, and no one thinks twice about it.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
-
In November, detainees at the facility sued, alleging the facility is polluted by sewage leaks and insect infestations, and that detainees can’t get proper medical attention for life-threatening conditions.—
CalMatters,
Oc Register,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Still, Friday ranked as one of the most unexpected breakdowns in international sports since Germany humiliated host Brazil, 7-1, at the 2014 soccer World Cup.—
Bora Erden,
New York Times,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Be ashamed and humiliated and would have apologized.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Fifty-six days later, homicide investigators arrive at Oliver’s apartment to find an unidentified body—brutally murdered and intentionally decomposed.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The body was decomposed, a fire official said.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Chinese officials blamed the tainted test results on chemically altered food the athletes had consumed at the time.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Feb. 2026
-
But the process- judging by the emails- seemed to take too long and not be transparent enough for Colorado gasoline regulators, who asked Sinclair for days for a list of gas stations where the tainted fuel was sold.—
Brian Maass,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The building burned to the ground and the soil has been scraped, but that blackened sago palm is still there, sprouting tons of new growth.—
Jeanette Marantos,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
-
There's no better tool for making biscuits, cornbread, or blackened chicken than a cast-iron skillet.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This friend group is so poisoned.—
Antonia Blyth,
Deadline,
17 Feb. 2026
-
In 2016, dozens of residents from a subdivision about 20 miles from the Boarmans’ home sued oil giant ConocoPhillips, alleging that years of improper oil field waste disposal had poisoned their drinking water.—
Nick Bowlin,
The Frontier,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fouled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fouled. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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