as in mistake
an instance of confusion
there was a foul-up with our mail order, and not one item arrived as ordered
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
tried not to foul up the football play
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to trip
to make a mistake
unfortunately, I fouled up and in my e-mail gave everyone the wrong date for the meeting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of foul-up
Lance Eliot, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024
Many have faulted Cuba’s Stalinist bureaucratic centralization, but few critiques are as replete with concrete examples of foolishness and foul-ups.
—Richard Feinberg, Foreign Affairs, 1 Jan. 2012
Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 29 Jan. 2025
For just one of 67 counties to use the wrong one could foul up an entire statewide count.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for foul-up
Noun
That foul-up then gets included in the series of questions and answers, causing the final answer to go askew.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024
Many have faulted Cuba’s Stalinist bureaucratic centralization, but few critiques are as replete with concrete examples of foolishness and foul-ups.
—Richard Feinberg, Foreign Affairs, 1 Jan. 2012
Verb
In between those foul shots, the Jayhawks intentionally fouled up three.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 29 Jan. 2025
For just one of 67 counties to use the wrong one could foul up an entire statewide count.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for foul-up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foul-up
Noun
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Justice Department lawyers contend FBI agents acted in good faith despite the mistake and shouldn't be second-guessed by the courts.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
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Many twenty-year veterans still make rookie mistakes while quick-learning newcomers can rapidly surpass them in both skills and results.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Later in the first period, Theodore fumbled the puck into the skates of his teammate, Hertl, on their way out of the defensive zone, and Foligno added to Minnesota’s lead.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2025
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Every moment spent fumbling with gear in those temperatures came at a cost—to fingers, batteries, and hard drives alike.—
Tony Bradley,
Forbes.com,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Declan Rice tripped him from behind to earn a yellow card.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
24 Apr. 2025
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For the listener, the journey is both thrilling and desultory, like hanging out sober while your friend trips on mushrooms.—
Carrie Brownstein,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Others on TikTok jumped into the comment section to share their own lyrical mix-ups and support for Kouvr.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
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Hotel mix-up: An anonymous Chinese national who earned a Ph.D. at a Chicago-area university and now works under OPT acknowledges he was charged with unlawfully photographing defense installations.—
Zach Schonfeld,
The Hill,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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However, the impending free agent had an 11.25 ERA, two losses and one blown save over 10 games entering Monday.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2025
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Vindman and his twin brother, Alex, both blew the whistle on Trump’s attempt to withhold military aid to Ukraine while pressuring the country’s leader to investigate the family of President Joe Biden.—
Andy Kroll,
ProPublica,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
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How did the world’s two largest economies stumble toward a trade war that neither truly seeks and which the rest of the world can’t afford?—
Zongyuan Zoe Liu,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Apr. 2025
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Eleni wasn't the only one who stumbled across the sale.—
Michelle Lee,
People.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
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However, since the start of 2025, there has been confusion among many in college mental health about how to comply with the intentions of the federal government.—
Eric Wood,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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The bill would directly conflict with federal law, opening the door for homeowners to face confusion regarding what is permitted.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
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This was a problem that Microsoft made exponentially worse by screwing up the Recall rollout so badly in the first place.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
21 Apr. 2025
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The administration won't admit it, but this was a screw up.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Foul-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foul-up. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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