adj · noun · verb · 41 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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foul
/faʊl/
rhymes with -aʊl
fou'əl
/ˈfaʊ.əl/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -aʊəl
homophone: fowl
CMU ARPABET:F AW1 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Covered with, or containing unclean matter; dirty.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
This cloth is too foul to use as a duster.
His foul hands got dirt all over the kitchen.
The air was so foul nobody could breathe.
A ship's bottom is foul when overgrown with barnacles
A well is foul with polluted water.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Obscene, vulgar or abusive.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The rascal spewed forth a series of foul words.
His foul language causes many people to believe he is uneducated.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Detestable, unpleasant, loathsome.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
He has a foul set of friends.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Disgusting, repulsive; causing disgust.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
This foul food is making me retch.
There was a foul smell coming from the toilet.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: rank, frightful
Antonyms: none provided
5
adj
Meaning 5
Ugly; homely; poor.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adj
Meaning 6
Unpleasant, stormy or rainy. (of the weather)
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Some foul weather is brewing.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
adj
Meaning 7
Dishonest or not conforming to the established rules and customs of a game, conflict, test, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Foul play is not suspected.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
adj
Meaning 8
Entangled and therefore restricting free movement, not clear.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: nautical, transport
Examples
We've got a foul anchor.
A rope could get foul while it is being paid out.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
adj
Meaning 9
(with "of") Positioned on, in, or near enough to (a specified area) so as to obstruct it.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
A breach of the rules of a game, especially one involving inappropriate contact with an opposing player in order to gain an advantage; for example, tripping someone up in soccer, or contact of any kind in basketball.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, sports
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
noun
Meaning 12
A (usually accidental) contact between a bowler and the lane before the bowler has released the ball.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: bowling, hobbies, lifestyle, sports
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
13
noun
Meaning 13
A foul ball, a ball which has been hit outside of the base lines.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
To obstruct, block, or otherwise interfere with (something), for example by clogging (a drain, gun barrel, chimney, etc) or by being in the way of (a gunshot, etc).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
To make make a play, such as a strong contact with an opposing player in order to gain advantage, that is deemed by the referee to have contravened the rules.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Inherited from Middle English ffoul, foul, foull, fowel, fowle, fuyle, voul, vul, from Old English fūl (“foul, dirty, unclean, impure, vile, corrupt, rotten, stinking, guilty”), from Proto-West Germanic *fūl, from Proto-Germanic *fūlaz (“foul, rotten”), from Proto-Indo-European *puH- (“foul, rotten”). Cognates Cognate with Central Franconian fuul (“putrid, rotten; lazy, workshy”), Cimbrian baul, vaul (“putrid, rotten”), Dutch vuil (“dirty, foul; lewd, obscene; dishonorable; illegal”), German faul (“foul, putrid, rotten; lazy”), Yiddish פֿױל (foyl, “putrid; lazy”), Danish ful (“nasty, ugly”), Icelandic fúll (“foul, rotten, sullen”), Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk ful (“clever, sly”), and Swedish ful (“ugly; bad, dirty”), Gothic 𐍆𐌿𐌻𐍃 (fuls, “fetid, foul, putrid”), and through Indo-European, with Latin puter (“decaying, rotten; friable, crumbling”), Greek πύο (pýo), πύον (pýon, “pus”), Albanian fëlliq (“to make dirty, sully”), Latvian pūt (“to rot”), Lithuanian pūti (“to rot”), Armenian փուտ (pʻut, “rottenness”), Persian پوده (pude, “rubbed, worn; foul, rotten; empty, hollow”), Sanskrit पूयति (pūyati, “to become foul; to stink”). More at putrid. Ancient Greek φαῦλος (phaûlos, “bad”) is a false cognate inasmuch as it is not from the same etymon, instead being cognate to few.
Inherited from Middle English foulen, fulen, from Old English fūlian (“to become foul; rot; decay”), from Proto-West Germanic *fūlēn, from Proto-Germanic *fūlāną (“to rot; decay”).
Across languages
Translations
254 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
мръсен
(mrǎsen)
— covered with, or containing, extraneous matter
Bulgarian:
замърсен
(zamǎrsen)
— covered with, or containing, extraneous matter
Chinese Mandarin:
污濁 /污浊
(wūzhuó)
— covered with, or containing, extraneous matter
Chinese Mandarin:
污穢 /污秽
(wūhuì)
— covered with, or containing, extraneous matter
Finnish:
likainen
— covered with, or containing, extraneous matter
Finnish:
saastainen
— covered with, or containing, extraneous matter
Finnish:
epäpuhdas
— covered with, or containing, extraneous matter
French:
souillé
— covered with, or containing, extraneous matter
Galician:
porco
— covered with, or containing, extraneous matter
Galician:
sucio
— covered with, or containing, extraneous matter
German:
schmutzig
— covered with, or containing, extraneous matter
German:
stinkend
— covered with, or containing, extraneous matter
German:
unrein
— covered with, or containing, extraneous matter
Gothic:
𐍆𐌿𐌻𐍃
(fuls)
— covered with, or containing, extraneous matter
Middle English:
foul
— covered with, or containing, extraneous matter
Plautdietsch:
ful
— covered with, or containing, extraneous matter
Russian:
га́дкий
(gádkij)
— covered with, or containing, extraneous matter
Russian:
гря́зный
(grjáznyj)
— covered with, or containing, extraneous matter
Scottish Gaelic:
caca
— covered with, or containing, extraneous matter
Spanish:
inmundo
— covered with, or containing, extraneous matter
