foul play

noun

Definition of foul playnext
1
as in murder
the intentional and unlawful taking of another person's life the coroner ruled that there was no evidence of foul play

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in violence
the use of brute strength to cause harm to a person or property the suspect has a long history of foul play, and was once convicted on assault and battery charges

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 foul play The sheriff’s office said there was no indication of foul play. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2026 On Monday, Panettiere’s rep confirmed the actress’ death at age 36 to Deadline, as police in Greenville, South Carolina initially announced that no foul play was suspected. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 23 Aug. 2026 There were no immediate, obvious signs of trauma or foul play on Wells’ body when it was found July 6 in the water near the coast of Horn Island, Jackson County Coroner Bruce Lynd told CNN. — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026 Police are investigating the death, but say there are no indications of foul play. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for foul play
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foul play
  1. murder
  2. violence
  3. homicide
  4. blood
  5. killing
Noun
  • The 63-year-old Davis was convicted Monday of murder with the use of a deadly weapon and could be sentenced to life in prison.
    — Jonathan Landrum Jr, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Clancy, 36, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder in the January 2023 strangulation deaths of her three children – Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months – at the family's Duxbury, Massachusetts, home.
    — Melina Khan, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of murder
Noun
  • Writing poetry about violence is not the same as experiencing it.
    — Wallis Wilde-Menozzi, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Experts see the union as evidence that Syria might actually be putting the era of sectarian violence behind it.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of violence
Noun
  • Troopers from the New Jersey State Police Marine Bureau arrested Kevin Wells, 40, of Warren, New Jersey, on Friday, charging him with vehicular homicide and two counts of assault by vessel while intoxicated.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The 10-episode drama stars Liev Schreiber as Jonah Lynn, a former soldier turned homicide detective who moves to a small town in western Pennsylvania after working the tough streets of Philadelphia.
    — Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of homicide
Noun
  • Kevin McCarthy captured a spectacular view as the eclipsed moon shone blood red in the skies over North Carolina, after a brief weather scare!
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • But unlike these flesh-and-blood examples, Miss Piggy doesn’t experience the discrimination of aging.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of blood
Noun
  • Citizen, published two months after Brown’s killing, seemed to channel that righteous fury.
    — Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The man a Wyandotte County deputy is charged with killing may have died not by homicide, but rather pre-existing illness, a medical expert testified in court Wednesday.
    — Sofi Zeman August 26, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of killing

Browse Nearby Words

foulness
foul play
fouls
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Foul play.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foul%20play. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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