as in to frustrate
to prevent from achieving a goal
in popular fiction the hero will always foil the villain's plans
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in contrast
something or someone that is different from another especially in a pleasing way
This cool, refreshing salad is the perfect foil for spicy foods.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of foil
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
23 June 2026
Ten minutes later, a breath of wind arrived and the Group B boats were onto the foils and were at least achieving foiling for some of the time.
—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
21 June 2026
Sacbee.com,
25 June 2026
But if anything does make it through the foil and onto the pan, don't worry.
—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for foil
Verb
Nike has chartered a path to improving its share price, but the athletic retailer faces several headwinds that could foil its recovery plan, according to Evercore ISI.
—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
23 June 2026
Ten minutes later, a breath of wind arrived and the Group B boats were onto the foils and were at least achieving foiling for some of the time.
—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
21 June 2026
Noun
One, a large van, is blown out along the side, scarred by a large hole ringed by pieces of metal that look like a sculpture made of foil bending back upon itself.
—
Sacbee.com,
25 June 2026
But if anything does make it through the foil and onto the pan, don't worry.
—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for foil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foil
Verb
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Belgium looked limited and frustrated, with Leandro Trossard and Youri Tielemans heading into the second-half hydration break in the middle of an angry argument.
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Its young people are increasingly educated and ambitious but many are frustrated over fierce competition for limited jobs.
Noun
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The conditions are a stark contrast to the nation's bicentennial celebration in Washington in 1976, when the high temperature reached 84 degrees and the low dipped to 65 degrees, according to Department of Commerce data.
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Allen also recommends avoiding light grout lines at all costs to prevent a stark contrast.
Verb
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The group’s open letter calls on Bonta to take action to thwart the Ellison expansion effort.
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Nicolas Pepe had a shot from roughly 10 yards out that was thwarted by Norway goalkeeper Orjan Haskjold Nyland with his leg.
Noun
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According to Littley, a common mistake among home cooks is neglecting how the pasta and sauce complement each other.
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Research in Management Science finds AI complements domain expertise rather than replacing it, creating the most value when the person interpreting the output already understands the problem.
Verb
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His focus on the voting bill, instead of signing one that tackles a top issue for voters, has left some GOP strategists baffled.
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Keith played conservative social climber Margo Leadbetter, who is baffled by her neighbor Tom's sustainability-centric lifestyle with wife Barbara Good (Felicity Kendal).
Noun
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In addition is a regime of far less appetizing supplements—daily Epsom salts, bitterdrops, and other shots—which aid in the detoxifying process.
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Some supplements and chews are offered in different flavors to better entice your dog.
Verb
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The decision severely hampered local planning for America’s 250th anniversary, disrupting history projects, museums and educational programs nationwide.
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Chwalińska took a medical timeout for the injury at the end of the game, and she was clearly hampered by it for the rest of the match.
Noun
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This creamy counterpoint honors the caviar rather than competing with it, while a crisp gyoza shell adds a brilliant contrast in texture.
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For quieter moments, the bedrooms offer a calmer counterpoint, including one rendered in soothing blue tones with views over the lush greenery surrounding the home.
Cite this Entry
“Foil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foil. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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