FOULED Synonyms: 252 Similar and Opposite Words

fouled 1 of 2

adjective

as in contaminated

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fouled

2 of 2

verb

past tense of foul

as in stained

to make dirty the mechanic fouled the bath towels with axle grease

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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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

Adjective

The recently-renewed forward was fouled eight times, which included a challenge from Calatrava off the ball shortly before Espanyol’s equaliser. — Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026 Leading 46-40 at halftime, the Sun went on an 8-0 run that started with a driving layup by Nelson-Ododa, who was fouled and completed the three-point play. — Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026 The moment was significant because Cunningham was the in the WNBA to stand up for Clark, the league's biggest star, who is perpetually fouled hard. — Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Salaün had a chance to tie it after being fouled on a 3-point attempt late, but missed her last free throw of the trio. — Staff, Mercury News, 30 July 2026 In the future, more regulations may be established to turn away ships that are too heavily fouled, Tamburri said. — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 25 July 2026 Clark was also fouled while shooting a 3-pointer later in the second quarter. — CBS News, 25 June 2026 One minute into the 1974 World Cup final in West Germany, Holland legend Johan Cruyff was fouled in the penalty area and history was about to be made. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 24 June 2026

Verb

Slater’s free kick for the second goal, headed in by Mendy, came about because Tielemans was nutmegged on the edge of the area by Mohamed Belloumi, and the United new boy fouled the Hull midfielder. — Liam Tharme, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026 The kick was awarded when defender Peyton Miller was fouled by Sands. — ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026 Alvarez, currently in the hunt for just the second Triple Crown this century, fouled a ball off of his foot in the fourth, but remained in the game. — CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026 The environmentalists said the ranchers brought in invasive plants with their feed, and that cattle fouled the soil and waterways. — Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026 At the end, the Liberty prevailed as the Sparks intentionally fouled to stay in the game, getting clutch makes by Ionescu. — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 14 Aug. 2026 White faced a similar controversy when Clark also was fouled hard earlier this season, prompting a letter from the US House of Representatives to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. — CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026 Susac fouled a pitch right off his left knee in the bottom of the fifth and instantly fell to the ground in pain. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026 On Monday, after homering in the second inning and striking out in the third, Kuroda-Grauer was back at the dish and fouled a pitch straight into his own crotch. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fouled

Adjective

People cannot become infected by swallowing contaminated water.

— Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Consumers who may have purchased contaminated products have been advised by the FDA to either throw them away or return them for a refund at the place of purchase.

— Rebecca Schneid, Time, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of contaminated

Verb

Our state has thousands of sites already polluted with toxic chemicals and other pollutants, and those projects affect air quality, safe drinking water and community health for millions of Californians.

— Shannon Olivieri Hovis, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026
Greenpeace Germany warned that oil has already polluted stretches of coastline and damaged the area's fragile ecosystem.

— Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of polluted

Verb

In their first national title game, the Wildcats humiliated Oklahoma in the national semifinal by 44, and in their second, demoralized Michigan in the title game by 17.

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026
After being publicly humiliated by Daemon Targaryen and lured to switch sides (with his dragon) to the Greens by Ormund Hightower, party animal Ulf is still drunk and MIA when the battle starts.

— Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of humiliated

Verb

Determining the causes of death was complicated by how decomposed the bodies were, the medical examiner’s office said.

— Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2026
The study hypothesized that the sickle was added before the body fully decomposed since no joints were detached or displaced, as archaeologists would expect if a grave were to be disturbed after the body became a skeleton.

— Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of decomposed

Adjective

One example is museums’ wall labels now mentioning tainted or dubious provenance.

— Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026
The group turned its attention to Samoa in July 2018, when two young children died after being given a tainted MMR vaccine that had been improperly prepared.

— Ali Swenson, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of tainted

Verb

Corbin uses cabbage as an anchor in his new and expanding Rolodex of flavors, thrusting it into the fire until the outer layers are blackened and frizzled.

— Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Timber Fire Monterey County’s Timber Fire burning near Big Sur has blackened nearly 2,500 acres since its start Monday afternoon and is 5% contained.

— Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of blackened

Verb

Glutathione is processed in sterile compounding pharmacies, and there have been cases of people getting poisoned due to contamination at these facilities, Sack said.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
Patterson was accused of pretending to eat the same portion, and of feigning illness in an elaborate ruse to suggest she’d also been poisoned.

— Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of poisoned

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foul

fouled

fouled up

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“Fouled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fouled. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of fouled

adjective

verb

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