1
: in or into conflict with
ran afoul of the law
2
: in or into collision or entanglement with

Examples of afoul of in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Companies that run afoul of this provision could be assessed astronomical fines. Emily Baker-White, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024 Now, some are suggesting that Welch may have run afoul of the Securities and Exchange Commission, an independent oversight agency that regulates financial markets, including cryptocurrency. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 7 Dec. 2024 Mehmet Oz, the celebrity doctor named to oversee Medicare in the Trump administration, posted online endorsements of herbal products that threaten to run afoul of US marketing rules, according to a health watchdog. Bloomberg, Fortune, 4 Dec. 2024 Around the same time, the Van Nuys Airport Assn., a business group, filed its own complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration, alleging the council’s disapproval of the lease ran afoul of the city’s obligations under federal law. Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for afoul of 

Word History

Etymology

afoul "fouled, tangled," from a- entry 1 + foul entry 1

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of afoul of was in 1819

Dictionary Entries Near afoul of

Cite this Entry

“Afoul of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/afoul%20of. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

afoul of

preposition
1
: in or into collision or entanglement with
one ship ran afoul of the other
2
: in or into conflict with
they fell afoul of the law
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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