technical foul

noun

basketball
: a foul that is assessed to a player, coach, or team typically for unsportsmanlike conduct (such as arguing with an official or taunting an opponent) and does not usually involve physical contact with an opponent while the ball is in play

called also technical

compare personal foul

Examples of technical foul in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The two teams met Monday night and there were six technical fouls called and one ejection. — ABC News, 24 June 2026 The two teams also played Monday night and there were six technical fouls called and one ejection. — Doug Feinberg, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026 Portis rushed over to confront Nesmith, picking up his first technical foul. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026 That led to a technical foul on then-Heat captain Udonis Haslem, who was not in the game at the time. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for technical foul

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of technical foul was in 1896

Rhymes for technical foul

See All Rhymes for technical foul

Browse Nearby Words

technical felony
technical foul
technicalism
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Technical foul.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/technical%20foul. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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