1
as in staining
to make dirty
the mechanic fouled the bath towels with axle grease
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fouling
With Duke playing keep-away to prevent the Huskies from fouling, Cayden Boozer’s pass near midcourt was deflected, and after UConn came up with the ball, Demary made a shot from well behind the 3-point line.
—
Noah Trister, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
With Duke playing keep-away to prevent the Huskies from fouling, Cayden Boozer’s pass near midcourt was deflected, and after UConn came up with the ball, Demary made a shot from well behind the three-point line.
—Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Down 2, Hurley considered fouling on that fateful Duke possession.
—Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
With Duke playing keep-away to prevent the Huskies from fouling, Cayden Boozer's pass near midcourt was deflected by Demary, and after UConn came up with the ball, Mullins swished a 3 from 35 feet away.
—CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
With Duke playing keep-away to prevent the Huskies from fouling, Cayden Boozer’s pass near midcourt was deflected by Demary, and after UConn came up with the ball, Mullins swished a 3 from 35 feet away.
—Noah Trister, Baltimore Sun, 29 Mar. 2026
Heliot Ramos worked a 10-pitch at-bat, staying alive by fouling off four pitches, but struck out swinging on an elevated heater to end the inning.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2026
Smith got ahead 2-0 before fouling off a pitch and taking a second strike.
—Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 29 Mar. 2026
Sienna Betts failed to corral a defensive rebound before fouling Grace Schmidt, and then lost the ball to Schmidt in the backcourt on the ensuing possession.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 22 Mar. 2026
Noah Trister, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
With Duke playing keep-away to prevent the Huskies from fouling, Cayden Boozer’s pass near midcourt was deflected, and after UConn came up with the ball, Demary made a shot from well behind the three-point line.
—Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Down 2, Hurley considered fouling on that fateful Duke possession.
—Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
With Duke playing keep-away to prevent the Huskies from fouling, Cayden Boozer's pass near midcourt was deflected by Demary, and after UConn came up with the ball, Mullins swished a 3 from 35 feet away.
—CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
With Duke playing keep-away to prevent the Huskies from fouling, Cayden Boozer’s pass near midcourt was deflected by Demary, and after UConn came up with the ball, Mullins swished a 3 from 35 feet away.
—Noah Trister, Baltimore Sun, 29 Mar. 2026
Heliot Ramos worked a 10-pitch at-bat, staying alive by fouling off four pitches, but struck out swinging on an elevated heater to end the inning.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2026
Smith got ahead 2-0 before fouling off a pitch and taking a second strike.
—Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 29 Mar. 2026
Sienna Betts failed to corral a defensive rebound before fouling Grace Schmidt, and then lost the ball to Schmidt in the backcourt on the ensuing possession.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 22 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fouling
Verb
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There are a few options to deal with old brickwork, including cleaning and repairing the brick, painting or staining the brick, or even installing new siding or stucco over the brick.—
Timothy Dale,
The Spruce,
13 Mar. 2026
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Sealing your grout is a great way to prevent further staining and using a steam cleaner or steam mop can help to lift the stains.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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California’s standards have spurred important technological innovations for vehicles, including new types of less-polluting gasoline and vehicles that emit no pollution at all.—
Ann E. Carlson,
The Conversation,
31 Mar. 2026
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The only thing standing in the way of progress is the powerful plastics and fossil fuel lobbyists — hired by the same companies responsible for polluting our planet and bodies with plastic and its toxic chemicals.—
Shanna Swan,
New York Daily News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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State caseworkers have sent an untold number of elders in their care to a coterie of homes with a history of hurting, ignoring or humiliating their residents, records and anguished families say.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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These clips often use humor and pop‑culture aesthetics—even LEGO‑style animations—to show Iran’s late supreme leader outsmarting and humiliating his American adversaries.—
Newsweek Editors,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Scientists have also observed that these electrical signals become more active when the hyphae of wood-decomposing fungi come into contact with wood, suggesting fungi might use this signaling to relay information about nutrients or damage across their networks.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
30 Mar. 2026
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These electrical signals become more active when the hyphae of wood-decomposing fungi touch wood.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
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.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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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.—
Natalia Sánchez Loayza,
Scientific American,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In the Middle Ages, local churchgoers whispered of clannish Jews poisoning wells to kill Christian children and steal their blood for their rituals.—
Mike Rothschild,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
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After Kouri Richins was charged with murder for fatally poisoning her husband with fentanyl, a friend of the Utah mother of three had a difficult time reconciling that.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Henry’s wife Yasmin (Marisa Abela) ultimately convinces Hayley to accuse Dycker of assault, discrediting his story about Tender, and weaponizing #MeToo-era politics.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
5 Mar. 2026
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Supporters of Pahlavi were particularly vocal in Mashhad this month, as attested by the prevalence of pro-monarchy graffiti on city walls, and the regime’s propaganda devoted particular attention to discrediting the former crown prince.—
Davood Moradian,
The Atlantic,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Last year, the Dominican Republic deported more than 100,000 Haitians back to their disintegrating country.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
24 Mar. 2026
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The meteor traveled about 58 miles through the upper atmosphere before disintegrating 29 miles above tiny Calflax in unincorporated Fresno County, Cooke said.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fouling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fouling. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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