1
as in murder
the intentional and unlawful taking of another person's life
the coroner ruled that there was no evidence of foul play
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in violence
the use of brute strength to cause harm to a person or property
the suspect has a long history of foul play, and was once convicted on assault and battery charges
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of foul play
The Macomb County Sheriff's Office said foul play is not suspected, but the investigation remains ongoing, writes Nour Rahal.
—
Leah Olajide, Freep.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Despite clear signs of foul play, the medical examiner does not classify it as a homicide.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Sep. 2025
This time, Charles, Oliver and Mabel investigate the death of their building's beloved doorman Lester (Teddy Coluca), which may or may not have involved foul play and may or may not be connected to the mob.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
There were no signs of foul play, police said in a statement.
—Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foul play
Leah Olajide, Freep.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Despite clear signs of foul play, the medical examiner does not classify it as a homicide.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Sep. 2025
This time, Charles, Oliver and Mabel investigate the death of their building's beloved doorman Lester (Teddy Coluca), which may or may not have involved foul play and may or may not be connected to the mob.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
There were no signs of foul play, police said in a statement.
—Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foul play
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foul play
Noun
-
Three people were killed in a murder-suicide shooting near a middle school in Illinois on Tuesday.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
McDonald, portrayed as the main attacker, was convicted of murder, but later released because of health issues.—
Tony Saavedra,
Oc Register,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Kirk's killing, and its aftermath, have stoked deep divisions across the country at a time when political violence was already on the rise.—
Connor Greene,
Time,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Hate speech that crosses the line into threats of violence is NOT protected by the First Amendment.—
Jack Birle,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The girls died as a result of homicide from suffocation, a preliminary report from a medical examiner stated.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
19 Sep. 2025
-
An autopsy determined the girls' cause of death to be suffocation and the manner of death is homicide, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office said on June 9.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The World Health Organization warned on Thursday that critical shortages of blood in Gaza hospitals could see force services to grind to a halt within days.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
19 Sep. 2025
-
The virus is contagious and spreads through contact with blood or body fluids from a person infected with the virus, according to the CDC.—
Dr. Jade Cobern,
ABC News,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In the days following his killing, conservative activist Charlie Kirk has, in a sense, become all things to all people.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Attorney General Pam Bondi is under scrutiny over her comments about cracking down on certain rhetoric in the wake of the killing of Charlie Kirk, marking the latest controversy of her own making.—
The Hill,
The Hill,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Foul play.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foul%20play. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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