Foul meaning

What does “foul” mean? Definitions, examples, synonyms and opposites.

“foul” is a noun, verb and adjective with 16 meanings. Its most common meaning is: an act that violates the rules of a sport.

foul

hit a foul ball
make impure
“The industrial wastes polluted the lake”
Synonymspollute contaminate
become or cause to become obstructed
“The leaves clog our drains in the Fall”
“The water pipe is backed up”
Synonymsclog choke off clog up back up congest choke
commit a foul; break the rules
spot, stain, or pollute
“The townspeople defiled the river by emptying raw sewage into it”
Synonymsbefoul defile maculate
make unclean
“foul the water”
become soiled and dirty

highly offensive; arousing aversion or disgust
“a disgusting smell”
“distasteful language”
Synonymsdisgusting disgustful distasteful loathly loathsome repellent repellant repelling
offensively malodorous
“a foul odor”
“the kitchen smelled really funky”
Synonymsfetid foetid foul-smelling funky noisome smelly stinking ill-scented
violating accepted standards or rules
“a dirty fighter”
“used foul means to gain power”
Synonymscheating dirty unsporting unsportsmanlike
(of a baseball) not hit between the foul lines
Oppositesfair
(of a manuscript) defaced with changes
“foul (or dirty) copy”
Synonymsdirty marked-up
characterized by obscenity
“had a filthy mouth”
“foul language”
Synonymscruddy filthy nasty smutty
disgustingly dirty; filled or smeared with offensive matter
“as filthy as a pigsty”
“a foul pond”
Synonymsfilthy nasty
especially of a ship's lines etc
“with its sails afoul”
“a foul anchor”
Synonymsafoul fouled

Source: WordNet 3.1, Princeton University