as in contaminated
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
1
as in stained
to make dirty
the mechanic fouled the bath towels with axle grease
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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 fouled
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 13 May 2026
Marcus Smart then drove the lane and hit a layup while being fouled in the final minute, converting a three-point play for a 110-109 Lakers lead.
—ABC News, 12 May 2026
Villa are the most fouled team in the league, with Rogers the most fouled player.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Hachimura, who made all four of his three-point attempts in the first half, had a chance at a three on the Lakers’ first possession but instead passed to Ayton, who was fouled on the floor.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026
True to form, on Friday night Richardson went 45-5, fouled and hit 48-8 before surpassing 49 feet on all of his last three jumps.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
Marcus Smart was fouled on a 3-point attempt with 25 seconds to go in the fourth after a Houston turnover and made all three free throws to get the Lakers within three.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
That was before Marcus Smart came up with a steal and got fouled attempting a 3-point shot; and before LeBron James poked the ball away from Rockets guard Reed Sheppard before getting the ball back to sink a game-tying 3-pointer with 13 seconds left.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2026
The Lakers led by 15 early, but were down six before Smart was fouled on a 3-point attempt with 25 seconds to go after a Houston turnover and made all three free throws.
—CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026
Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026
Goalkeeper Matz Sels has added five, one of which came from a corner in the 3-1 home loss to Leeds in November, when Ethan Ampadu fouled him as the ball came in.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 May 2026
Maryland lawmakers push the Air Force for answers about a fuel leak from Joint Base Andrews, not long after a separate sewage line break fouled the river.
—Dana Hedgpeth, Washington Post, 13 May 2026
There was a delay of about 12 minutes with one out in the inning when home plate umpire Roberto Ortiz left the game after Braden Shewmake fouled a ball off his mask.
—ABC News, 13 May 2026
Mitchell scored, was fouled by Smart and made the free throw for a three-point play and a 95-92 Thunder lead.
—Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
The circumstance yesterday was that Campusano fouled a ball off his foot on Tuesday and was unavailable.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
His 71st pitch Friday night was a sinker to Brice Matthews, who fouled it off for Strike 2.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 2 May 2026
Reese got the best of her 6-foot-7 former teammate early, as Cardoso (three points, four rebounds) fouled her twice on shots down low in the first quarter.
—Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
If players have the ball and are fouled, at least the foul is in the flow of the game!
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 13 May 2026
Marcus Smart then drove the lane and hit a layup while being fouled in the final minute, converting a three-point play for a 110-109 Lakers lead.
—ABC News, 12 May 2026
Villa are the most fouled team in the league, with Rogers the most fouled player.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Hachimura, who made all four of his three-point attempts in the first half, had a chance at a three on the Lakers’ first possession but instead passed to Ayton, who was fouled on the floor.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026
True to form, on Friday night Richardson went 45-5, fouled and hit 48-8 before surpassing 49 feet on all of his last three jumps.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
Marcus Smart was fouled on a 3-point attempt with 25 seconds to go in the fourth after a Houston turnover and made all three free throws to get the Lakers within three.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
That was before Marcus Smart came up with a steal and got fouled attempting a 3-point shot; and before LeBron James poked the ball away from Rockets guard Reed Sheppard before getting the ball back to sink a game-tying 3-pointer with 13 seconds left.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2026
The Lakers led by 15 early, but were down six before Smart was fouled on a 3-point attempt with 25 seconds to go after a Houston turnover and made all three free throws.
—CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
One night after catcher Francisco Alvarez tore his meniscus on a swing, Juan Soto fouled a pitch off the top of his foot during an at-bat in the third inning.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026
Goalkeeper Matz Sels has added five, one of which came from a corner in the 3-1 home loss to Leeds in November, when Ethan Ampadu fouled him as the ball came in.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 May 2026
Maryland lawmakers push the Air Force for answers about a fuel leak from Joint Base Andrews, not long after a separate sewage line break fouled the river.
—Dana Hedgpeth, Washington Post, 13 May 2026
There was a delay of about 12 minutes with one out in the inning when home plate umpire Roberto Ortiz left the game after Braden Shewmake fouled a ball off his mask.
—ABC News, 13 May 2026
Mitchell scored, was fouled by Smart and made the free throw for a three-point play and a 95-92 Thunder lead.
—Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
The circumstance yesterday was that Campusano fouled a ball off his foot on Tuesday and was unavailable.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
His 71st pitch Friday night was a sinker to Brice Matthews, who fouled it off for Strike 2.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 2 May 2026
Reese got the best of her 6-foot-7 former teammate early, as Cardoso (three points, four rebounds) fouled her twice on shots down low in the first quarter.
—Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fouled
Adjective
-
Per Mayo Clinic, Salmonella is a bacterial disease that affects the intestinal tract and typically infects people through contaminated water or food.—
Chiara Kim,
PEOPLE,
7 May 2026
-
People can get sick after breathing in contaminated particles that get stirred into the air, especially while cleaning or spending time in places where rodents have been active, like sheds, garages, barns, cabins and storage areas.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
The street in front of the homes is seen stained with blood.—
Ana Maria Soler,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
-
In some stretches, the water is stained with chemical residue.—
Ayushi Shah,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Testing by the University of Georgia that alerted the industry and state in 2008, when Bost was in her teens, showed the local Conasauga River that supplies the region’s drinking water was polluted.—
DYLAN JACKSON,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
-
That is exactly what this film cleverly does — pinpoints the insidious nature of far-right movements and the creeping rhetoric that has polluted our society.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Those who don’t get the job leave diminished, sometimes humiliated, and the institution absorbs the damage quietly for years.—
Paul Hardart,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
-
Blue is officially fired for injecting a patient with an unapproved drug, and in a devastating twist, he is humiliated by and forced to give his badge back to Richard in front of Catherine (Debbie Allen).—
Max Gao,
Variety,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Biodegradable waste consists of organic materials, such as food scraps, vegetable peels, paper, leaves, and agricultural residues, that can be decomposed naturally through microbial processes.—
Aman Kumar,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
14 May 2026
-
Halleck adds coffee grounds need to be decomposed by microbes first to release nitrogen and other nutrients.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
While Liang seeks to distance the company from the tainted elements, Supermicro’s longer-term fate may hinge on whether Nvidia stays close or decides to keep its distance.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The case has it all — backroom deals, bribes, tainted legislation, dark money contributions — even the suicide of a prominent official at the center of the scandal.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And one track prominently features a country singer, a drastic departure from the usual Fire-Toolz mélange of screensaver EDM, Hypercolor death metal, blackened new age, and copious other mutant genres that usually don’t mix.—
Reed Jackson,
SPIN,
8 May 2026
-
The mosque is blackened and burned, the minaret split in two.—
Kat Lonsdorf,
NPR,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
When hunted, poisoned, and persecuted, the coyotes scattered and regrouped, their numbers surging a hundred-fold.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
-
The latter activity gives them some solid ground to plant their hooves on when George abruptly turns up dead one morning, poisoned by an unknown suspect.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fouled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fouled. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
