1
as in to stain
to make dirty
unsightly mud and slush befouls the family car every winter
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to pollute
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable
the enemy had befouled the water in all of the area's wells with animal carcasses
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of befoul
Capitalism is degrading us, killing us and befouling our world.
—
Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 8 June 2023
At a 2019 commencement address, Mr. Adams told a story about intimidating a neighbor whose dog was befouling his yard.
—Emma G. Fitzsimmons, New York Times, 1 June 2023
This roman à clef series begins with the patriarch of the Roy clan, Logan (Brian Cox), urinating on a carpet (evoking The Big Lebowski, befouling us).
—Armond White, National Review, 5 Apr. 2023
Michael Kuta, 26, of the 700 block of South Addison Avenue, Villa Park, was cited for disorderly conduct – befouling property at 1:15 a.m. Nov. 28 after he was observed urinating on bushes in the 100 block of South York Street.
—Graydon Megan, chicagotribune.com, 6 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for befoul
Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 8 June 2023
At a 2019 commencement address, Mr. Adams told a story about intimidating a neighbor whose dog was befouling his yard.
—Emma G. Fitzsimmons, New York Times, 1 June 2023
This roman à clef series begins with the patriarch of the Roy clan, Logan (Brian Cox), urinating on a carpet (evoking The Big Lebowski, befouling us).
—Armond White, National Review, 5 Apr. 2023
Michael Kuta, 26, of the 700 block of South Addison Avenue, Villa Park, was cited for disorderly conduct – befouling property at 1:15 a.m. Nov. 28 after he was observed urinating on bushes in the 100 block of South York Street.
—Graydon Megan, chicagotribune.com, 6 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for befoul
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befoul
Verb
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While there’s no secret deodorant conspiracy at play, there is a reason for the difference—certain types of deodorant are more prone to staining than others.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
20 Sep. 2025
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Police said Smirnova’s hospital gown and legs were also stained with blood.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The people affected by environmental violations are not just the nearby community, Duggan said, but the workers at polluting facilities as well.—
Taylor Kate Brown,
ProPublica,
17 Sep. 2025
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Rivian also faces opposition from some residents who say the plant is an inappropriate neighbor to farms and will pollute the groundwater.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The menu is global and playful, yet reliable, with some classic North American restaurant staples (hummus, $21, fish tacos, $23 for two, and Cajun blackened chicken, $39) and some Asian and Latin American inspired dishes (sake glazed Chilean seabass, $51, truffle udon carbonara, $27).—
Roxana Popescu,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Sep. 2025
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Some discolored areas on the bones that were not charred may have been blackened by smoke exposure, according to the study.—
Mindy Weisberger,
CNN Money,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As more success suddenly comes his way, McKinstry has remained the same, friendly and chuckling at his locker, dirtying his jersey and pestering opponents on the field.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
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Some were prosthetic buttocks, but others were people’s own buttocks, but in various states, like dirtied down and with partial covering.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
1 July 2025
Verb
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But that historical moment was sullied when journalist Sarah Hagi posted screenshots of old X posts from Gascón, which contained racist and Islamophobic sentiments.—
James Factora,
Them.,
16 Sep. 2025
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The problem is, people were drinking a lot of bad ones, sullying their opinion of the drink.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The rules around grand jury secrecy shouldn’t be broken and care must be taken about revealing the identities of victims and besmirching the reputations of people mentioned incidentally in the vast investigative materials.—
The Editors,
National Review,
16 July 2025
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Other attempts to besmirch her also fell short — as in the 2024 election, when former Sen. Randolph Bracy launched an ugly attempt to oust her from the District 15 Senate seat.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
Orlando Sentinel,
25 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Wearing shoes in the home tracks soil from outside, leaving floors dirtier and requiring more frequent sweeping.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Sep. 2025
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The sour smell of death was inescapable, as were remnants of what was left behind: discarded food bags and containers, soiled clothing, starved, bone-thin dogs, and cars, minivans, and SUVs submerged in dirty brown water.—
Arick Wierson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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There are also sparking car engines, microwave ovens, lightning strikes, GPS signals, reflections off the ionosphere, and even bird poop on the antenna to muck things up.—
David Szondy
July 27,
New Atlas,
27 July 2025
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After 30 years of mucking about with a kings-of-Britpop rivalry, Damon Albarn is admitting what everyone and Flimsy Steve have known for some time: Oasis is a bigger deal than Blur.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Befoul.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befoul. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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