Fouled — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb adjective

Meaning & Definition of Fouled

Fouled (verb)

  1. to make foul
  2. to make dirty, pollute
  3. to tangle or come into collision with
  4. to be put out of a basketball game for exceeding the number of fouls permitted
  5. to make dirty, contaminate
  6. to spoil by making mistakes or using poor judgment, confuse
  7. entangle, block

Fouled (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in polluted, contaminated

    similar: contaminated, defiled, impure, polluted, tainted, curdled, fermented, off, rancid, rank, sour, soured, sourish, turned, corroded, crumbled, degenerated, deteriorated, disintegrated, addled, bad, corrupted, decayed, decomposed, putrefied, putrid, rotten, spoiled, decaying, decomposing, disintegrating, mildewy, moldering, moldy, putrefying, putrescent, rotting, gangrenous
    opposite: undecomposed, fresh, good, sweet, preserved, pristine, uncontaminated, undefiled, unpolluted, unspoiled, untainted, untouched

Fouled (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to make dirty

    "the mechanic fouled the bath towels with axle grease"

    similar: befouled, begrimed, bemired, besmirched, blackened, daubed, dirtied, distained (archaic), gaumed (dialect), grimed, mired, mucked, muddied, smirched, smudged, soiled, stained, sullied
    related: contaminated, defiled, polluted, tainted, discolored, confused, disarranged, disarrayed, disheveled, disordered, draggled, jumbled, messed, muddled, collied (chiefly British dialect), crocked (dialect)
    opposite: cleaned, cleansed
    near: decontaminated, purged, purified, disinfected, sanitized, brushed, dry-cleaned, dusted, laundered, mopped, rinsed, scoured, scrubbed, swept, washed, wiped, brightened, deodorized, freshened, renewed, spruced (up), straightened (up), tidied (up)

  2. to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable

    "industrial pollution fouling the water supply"

    similar: befouled, contaminated, defiled, poisoned, polluted, tainted
    related: infected, begrimed, besmirched, blackened, dirtied, fouled up, grimed, mired, muddied, smirched, smudged, soiled, stained, sullied, corrupted, rotted, spoiled, adulterated, doctored, diluted, watered down
    opposite: decontaminated, purified
    near: clarified, cleaned, cleansed, cleared, distilled, purged, filtered, disinfected, sanitized, sterilized

  3. 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"

    similar: abased, chastened, cheapened, debased, degraded, demeaned, discredited, disgraced, dishonored, humbled, humiliated, lowered, sank, shamed, smirched, took down
    related: abashed, confounded, confused, discomfited, disconcerted, discountenanced, embarrassed, fazed, flustered, mortified, nonplussed, rattled, belittled, castigated, cried down, criticized, decried, depreciated, detracted, diminished, discounted, disparaged, minimized, put down, ridiculed, wrote off, bad-mouthed, defamed, defiled, libeled, maligned, slandered, affronted, insulted, censured, condemned, damned, denounced, execrated, reprehended, reprobated
    opposite: aggrandized, canonized, deified, elevated, exalted
    near: acclaimed, applauded, boasted, celebrated, cheered, cited, commended, complimented, congratulated, decorated, eulogized, extolled, feted, hailed, honored, lauded, praised, saluted, touted, acknowledged, recognized, highlighted, played up, spotlighted, dignified, ennobled, enshrined, enskied, enthroned, glorified, magnified, advanced, boosted, lifted, promoted, raised, upgraded, uplifted, idealized, romanticized

  4. to go through decomposition

    "unless you want to smell the organic refuse as it fouls, locate the compost heap away from the house"

    similar: broke down, corrupted, decayed, decomposed, disintegrated, festered, molded, moldered, perished (chiefly British), putrefied, rotted, spoiled, fell apart, went to seed
    related: soured, turned, turned off (British), contaminated, defiled, polluted, tainted, addled, curdled, fermented, mortified, rusted, crumbled, declined, degenerated, descended, deteriorated, dilapidated, sank, withered
    near: aged, developed, grew, matured, ripened, refreshed, renewed, restored, cleansed, purified, assembled, composed, integrated, ameliorated, bettered, improved, meliorated

Related Entry: Foul (verb)

Foul is a different word from Fouled. The synonyms below are for foul, not for fouled.

  1. to make dirty

    "the mechanic fouled the bath towels with axle grease"

    similar: befoul, begrime, bemire, besmirch, blacken, daub, dirty, distain (archaic), gaum (dialect), grime, mire, muck, muddy, smirch, smudge, soil, stain, sully
    related: contaminate, defile, pollute, taint, discolor, confuse, disarrange, disarray, dishevel, disorder, draggle, jumble, mess, muddle, colly (chiefly British dialect), crock (dialect)
    opposite: clean, cleanse
    near: decontaminate, purge, purify, disinfect, sanitize, brush, dry-clean, dust, launder, mop, rinse, scour, scrub, sweep, wash, wipe, brighten, deodorize, freshen, renew, spruce (up), straighten (up), tidy (up)

  2. to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable

    "industrial pollution fouling the water supply"

    similar: befoul, contaminate, defile, poison, pollute, taint
    related: infect, begrime, besmirch, blacken, dirty, foul up, grime, mire, muddy, smirch, smudge, soil, stain, sully, corrupt, rot, spoil, adulterate, doctor, dilute, water down
    opposite: decontaminate, purify
    near: clarify, clean, cleanse, clear, distill, purge, filter, disinfect, sanitize, sterilize

  3. 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"

    similar: abase, chasten, cheapen, debase, degrade, demean, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, humble, humiliate, lower, shame, sink, smirch, take down
    related: abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, mortify, nonplus, rattle, belittle, castigate, criticize, cry down, decry, depreciate, detract, diminish, discount, disparage, minimize, put down, ridicule, write off, bad-mouth, defame, defile, libel, malign, slander, affront, insult, censure, condemn, damn, denounce, execrate, reprehend, reprobate
    opposite: aggrandize, canonize, deify, elevate, exalt
    near: acclaim, applaud, boast, celebrate, cheer, cite, commend, compliment, congratulate, decorate, eulogize, extol, fete, hail, honor, laud, praise, salute, tout, acknowledge, recognize, highlight, play up, spotlight, dignify, ennoble, enshrine, ensky, enthrone, glorify, magnify, advance, boost, lift, promote, raise, upgrade, uplift, idealize, romanticize

  4. to go through decomposition

    "unless you want to smell the organic refuse as it fouls, locate the compost heap away from the house"

    similar: break down, corrupt, decay, decompose, disintegrate, fester, mold, molder, perish (chiefly British), putrefy, rot, spoil, fall apart, go to seed
    related: sour, turn, turn off (British), contaminate, defile, pollute, taint, addle, curdle, ferment, mortify, rust, crumble, decline, degenerate, descend, deteriorate, dilapidate, sink, wither
    near: age, develop, grow, mature, ripen, refresh, renew, restore, cleanse, purify, assemble, compose, integrate, ameliorate, better, improve, meliorate

Related Entry: Fouled up (verb)

Fouled up is a different word from Fouled. The synonyms below are for fouled up, not for fouled.

  1. to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way

    "tried not to foul up the football play"

    similar: blew, bobbled, boggled, bollixed (up), booted, botched, buggered (up), bumbled, bungled, butchered, dubbed, flubbed, fluffed, foozled, fumbled, goofed (up), loused up, mangled, messed (up), mucked up, muffed, murdered, screwed up
    related: blundered, gummed (up), muddled, piffled, blemished, blighted, damaged, flawed, harmed, hurt, impaired, injured, marred, mutilated, ruined, spoiled, vitiated, destroyed, wrecked, mishandled, mismanaged
    near: ameliorated, bettered, enhanced, helped, improved, meliorated, rectified, refined, reformed, remedied, doctored, fixed, patched, reconditioned, renovated, repaired, revamped

  2. to make a mistake

    "unfortunately, I fouled up and in my e-mail gave everyone the wrong date for the meeting"

    similar: blundered, boobed (British), erred, flubbed, fluffed, fumbled, goofed (up), loused up, messed (up), screwed up, slipped up, stumbled, tripped, dropped the ball, laid an egg
    related: nodded, bobbled, botched, bungled, butchered, foozled, mangled, mishandled, muffed, murdered, miscalculated, misconceived, miscounted, miscued, misdeemed, misgauged, misjudged, mistook, misconstrued, misinterpreted, misunderstood

Related Entry: Foul up (verb)

Foul up is a different word from Fouled. The synonyms below are for foul up, not for fouled.

  1. to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way

    "tried not to foul up the football play"

    similar: blow, bobble, boggle, bollix (up), boot, botch, bugger (up), bumble, bungle, butcher, dub, flub, fluff, foozle, fumble, goof (up), louse up, mangle, mess (up), muck up, muff, murder, screw up
    related: blunder, gum (up), muddle, piffle, blemish, blight, damage, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, injure, mar, mutilate, ruin, spoil, vitiate, destroy, wreck, mishandle, mismanage
    near: ameliorate, better, enhance, help, improve, meliorate, rectify, refine, reform, remedy, doctor, fix, patch, recondition, renovate, repair, revamp

  2. to make a mistake

    "unfortunately, I fouled up and in my e-mail gave everyone the wrong date for the meeting"

    similar: blunder, boob (British), err, flub, fluff, fumble, goof (up), louse up, mess (up), screw up, slip up, stumble, trip, drop the ball, lay an egg
    related: nod, bobble, botch, bungle, butcher, foozle, mangle, mishandle, muff, murder, miscalculate, misconceive, miscount, miscue, misdeem, misgauge, misjudge, mistake, misconstrue, misinterpret, misunderstand

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Fouled

The most common words with a similar meaning to Fouled:

Archaic: distained
Dialect: gaumed
Chiefly British: perished
contaminated, defiled, impure, polluted, tainted, curdled, fermented, off, rancid, rank, sour, soured, sourish, turned, corroded, crumbled, degenerated, deteriorated, disintegrated, addled, bad, corrupted, decayed, decomposed, putrefied, putrid, rotten, spoiled, decaying, decomposing, disintegrating, mildewy, moldering, moldy, putrefying, putrescent, rotting, gangrenous, befouled, begrimed

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Fouled

Words with the opposite meaning of Fouled:

undecomposed, fresh, good, sweet, preserved, pristine, uncontaminated, undefiled, unpolluted, unspoiled, untainted, untouched, cleaned, cleansed, decontaminated, purified, aggrandized, canonized, deified, elevated, exalted

Related Words for Fouled

discolored, confused, disarranged, disarrayed, disheveled, disordered, draggled, jumbled, messed, muddled, collied, crocked, infected, fouled up, adulterated, doctored, diluted, watered down, abashed, confounded, discomfited, disconcerted, discountenanced, embarrassed, fazed, flustered, mortified, nonplussed, rattled, belittled

Near Antonyms of Fouled

purged, disinfected, sanitized, brushed, dry-cleaned, dusted, laundered, mopped, rinsed, scoured, scrubbed, swept, washed, wiped, brightened, deodorized, freshened, renewed, spruced (up), straightened (up), tidied (up), clarified, cleared, distilled, filtered, sterilized, acclaimed, applauded, boasted, celebrated

Word Forms of Fouled

Inflections: fouling, fouls, fouled out, fouling out, fouls out, fouled up, fouling up, fouls up

Origin & Etymology of Fouled

First known use: before 12th centuryi

Frequently Asked Questions about Fouled

What does "Fouled" mean?

"Fouled" means to make foul. As an a verb and an adjective, it is defined as: to make foul. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Fouled"?

Other words for "Fouled" include contaminated, defiled, impure, polluted, tainted, curdled, fermented and off. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Fouled" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Fouled"?

There are 143 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Fouled". Common alternatives include contaminated, defiled, impure, polluted, tainted, curdled, fermented, off, rancid and rank.

What is the opposite of "Fouled"?

Antonyms of "Fouled" include undecomposed, fresh, good, sweet, preserved, pristine, uncontaminated and undefiled. Near antonyms include purged, disinfected, sanitized and brushed.

How do you use "Fouled" in a sentence?

Examples of "Fouled" in a sentence: "the mechanic fouled the bath towels with axle grease"; "industrial pollution fouling the water supply"; "the minister was irreparably fouled by baseless rumors and allegations".

Is "Fouled" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Fouled" can be used as a verb and an adjective, depending on the context.

What is the origin of the word "Fouled"?

First known use: before 12th centuryi.

What is another word for "Fouled" meaning "as in polluted, contaminated"?

When "Fouled" (adjective) means as in polluted, contaminated, synonyms include contaminated, defiled, impure, polluted, tainted and curdled. Opposites in this sense include undecomposed, fresh, good and sweet.