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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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

But the opening period didn’t end without a scary moment, as Antetokounmpo fell hard on his back side after being fouled on a dunk attempt late in the first quarter. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026 Pablo was fouled in the build up to Mavropanos’s equaliser, with summer signing Arne Engels providing the assist from a free kick. — Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 9 Sep. 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

Henderson started on 11 days’ rest and struggled as the Rays fouled off 13 of 35 pitches in the first. — Ronald Blum, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026 That's where things stood until Gil added some insurance on a penalty kick in the first minute of second-half stoppage time after he was fouled by 19-year-old rookie defender Neil Pierre. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026 But Dream forward Naz Hillmon fouled Valkyries forward Cecilia Zandalasini on a 3-point attempt and officials upgraded it to a Flagrant 1 because Zandalasini didn’t have room to land. — Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 18 Oct. 2026 His 15th goal of the season came after he was fouled by Red Bulls midfielder Adri Mehmeti. — CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026 The second of those rejections sparked a fast break, which ended with Bryant getting fouled at the rim and making a pair of free throws. — Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News, 14 Oct. 2026 Two days later, Reese swiped at the ball in Clark’s hands after Clark was fouled, prompting the longtime rivals to exchange words. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fouled

Adjective

The audit, released Monday, identified a host of issues, including regulators’ failure to meet regular inspection schedules or to conduct sufficient random checks at dispensaries for contaminated products.

— Christopher Osher, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
To break the chains of infections stemming from contaminated needles, Soqo has proposed supplying thousands of sterile needles and syringes to communities of methamphetamine users.

— David Cox, NPR, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of contaminated

Verb

Bookshelves are crammed with novels and almanacs, the wood boards of the ceilings stained dark in delicious contrast to the clean white walls and creamy linen furnishings.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
The yellow color from the fenbendazole stained his white goatee.

— Trisha Thadani Kirsten Potter Tanya Pérez Devin Murphy, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of stained

Verb

When those waters are polluted, the damage is not confined to a technical measurement in a permit or a line on a monitoring report.

— Dana Adkins, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
In a world riven by democratic backsliding and polluted with AI slop, there’s something seductive about the idea of retreating to a wild, unnavigable place where no one can follow you—because you’ll be submerged up to your eyeballs.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of polluted

Verb

However, Rob Shuter is reporting that Meghan believes Kate purposefully humiliated her by recently taking Princess Charlotte on the London Underground.

— Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 15 Oct. 2026
His daughter is humiliated, and the message could not be clearer.

— Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of humiliated

Verb

The coins were originally buried together in a container made of organic material that has since decomposed, archaeologists believe.

— Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Many of the children's bodies were severely decomposed, with only 26 able to be identified, and investigations into the other deaths are ongoing.

— Jefferson Kahinju Reuters, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of decomposed

Adjective

Will Stewart be seduced into the path of corruption by using Sinestro’s emotionally tainted battery, or steel himself against ill influences and continue to blaze his own trail as Earth's sole protector for the time being?

— Jeff Spry, Space.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Some say that our country is too tainted and that political progress can be had only by extra-legal means.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of tainted

Verb

As the balloon and its occupants fell to the ground, the nylon envelope and the gondola separated, and the wreckage scattered over a roughly 100-yard area, parts of it blackened by the explosion and resulting fire.

— Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026
The shrinking process had exaggerated some features, vanished others, and blackened the flesh.

— Daniel Barnum, Longreads, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of blackened

Verb

Rau, wondering if his patients had been poisoned somehow, had his staff check the kitchen for contamination.

— D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
Its death, poisoned by anti-freeze in April 2020 during Spain’s COVID confinement, sparks on screen and real-life the first criminal investigation in Spain and Europe for an animal’s slaughter.

— John Hopewell, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of poisoned

Browse Nearby Words

foul

fouled

fouled up

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Style

“Fouled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fouled. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of fouled

adjective

verb

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