1
as in staining
to make dirty
the mechanic fouled the bath towels with axle grease
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in polluting
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable
industrial pollution fouling the water supply
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in humiliating
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in decomposing
to go through decomposition
unless you want to smell the organic refuse as it fouls, locate the compost heap away from the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fouling
The rule keeps teams from fouling in the backcourt to stop a fast break, and a penalty awards the offense one free throw and possession.
—
Zach Powell,
New York Times,
2 July 2026
The Phillies loaded the bases with two outs in the second, and after fouling off several Chandler pitches, Crawford took another late swipe and managed to hit one down the third base line off the end of the bat.
—
CBS News,
1 July 2026
Joe Mazzulla resorted to fouling the big man with the hopes that Tom Thibodeau would take him out of the game.
—
Tom Rende,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
Second baseman Luis Arraez was out of the starting lineup for a second straight game after fouling a ball off his foot on Tuesday.
—
Justice Delos Santos,
Mercury News,
25 June 2026
The injury stems from taking awkward swings and fouling off baseballs.
—
Kansas City Star,
23 June 2026
Chisholm was removed from the Bombers’ 5-1 loss in the fourth inning after fouling off a knuckle-curve from Chicago’s Sean Burke.
—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2026
One brush fire from the summer storm then split into two, and the raging flames sent plumes of black smoke upward, darkening the skies for miles and fouling the air.
—
Kairi Lowery,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
Zach Powell,
New York Times,
2 July 2026
The Phillies loaded the bases with two outs in the second, and after fouling off several Chandler pitches, Crawford took another late swipe and managed to hit one down the third base line off the end of the bat.
—
CBS News,
1 July 2026
Joe Mazzulla resorted to fouling the big man with the hopes that Tom Thibodeau would take him out of the game.
—
Tom Rende,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
Second baseman Luis Arraez was out of the starting lineup for a second straight game after fouling a ball off his foot on Tuesday.
—
Justice Delos Santos,
Mercury News,
25 June 2026
The injury stems from taking awkward swings and fouling off baseballs.
—
Kansas City Star,
23 June 2026
Chisholm was removed from the Bombers’ 5-1 loss in the fourth inning after fouling off a knuckle-curve from Chicago’s Sean Burke.
—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2026
One brush fire from the summer storm then split into two, and the raging flames sent plumes of black smoke upward, darkening the skies for miles and fouling the air.
—
Kairi Lowery,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fouling
Verb
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Apply a sealant to the sidewalk, if desired, to prevent future staining.
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The memento, sourced from a Salvation Army, does show some signs of use in the film, including staining, frayed fringe, and some loose threads.
Verb
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The solution is to support federal and state legislation that encourages lower-cost, less-polluting renewable energy to speed up the transition away from environmentally damaging fossil fuels.
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Plastics degrade into microplastics, which in humans have been linked to cancer, reproductive problems, and other health issues, and which are polluting ecosystems from coral reefs to Antarctica.
Verb
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Instead of demanding personal fealty or humiliating them to assert personal dominance, Lincoln absorbed their egos and occasional slights, elevating their talents and turning his fiercest political adversaries into his most devoted champions.
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The autocrat delights in humiliating so many people, not least tech billionaires, including Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg, who once opposed him.
Verb
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The Yolo County Central Landfill will build a new system that will convert methane from decomposing waste into renewable natural gas, the county announced Tuesday.
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The ocean becomes a creamy expanse splotched with brown mats of decomposing algae, according to photos shared by Abrams.
Verb
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And Hanceville’s fate is as murky as the fog that pours in at night, blotting out buildings and blackening the road ahead.
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These tungsten atoms would then condense on the slightly cooler inside of the glass bulb, blackening it and dimming the light over time.
Verb
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One of Robinson's attorneys, Kathryn Nester, also represented Kouri Richins, who was convicted of poisoning her husband, Eric Richins, in March 2022.
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Lewis was accused of poisoning two white female housemates, assaulted by a white mob in response to the charge, and acquitted in court, only to then be accused of stealing art supplies and prohibited from reënrolling.
Verb
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Kiryl Pazniak, 49, who hosted a popular political show on YouTube, has been convicted on the charges of discrediting Belarus and forming an extremist organization, the group said — accusations widely used by authorities to stifle critical voices.
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Defense attorney Tom Mesereau was an expert at discrediting witnesses, subjects told the filmmakers, but certain key witnesses, like Janet Arvizo, struggled to connect with the jury on their own.
Verb
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That changed in April 2023 when unknowing construction workers unceremoniously removed a disintegrating Pinky from its eyrie.
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The experiments have shown how a self-repair mechanism enables the spindle to stabilize itself under force and avoid disintegrating.
Cite this Entry
“Fouling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fouling. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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