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 But government watchdogs say the family’s overlapping work in the private and public sector may have run afoul of conflict of interest guardrails as well as city and state laws on procurement lobbying. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 13 Sep. 2024 By Trong’s death in July, the campaign was increasingly taking out not only corrupt government officials and dissidents running afoul of the Communist Party but also Politburo members and oligarchs with party connections. Huong Le Thu, Foreign Affairs, 9 Sep. 2024 In the intervening years, some manufacturers have found ways to make hemp products that intoxicate consumers without running afoul of the 2021 requirements. Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2024 Colleges that compete for students, faculty, staff, grants, marketing, media attention and numerous other pursuits are now just like any other group of businesses that compete and can run afoul of antitrust law when conspiring to limit competition. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 5 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for afoul of 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'afoul of.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 20 Sep. 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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