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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Friction point: Renewable project developers and advocates argued that PJM's proposal ran afoul of the law. Daniel Moore, Axios, 12 Feb. 2025 City data shows that Fly has allegedly run afoul of such requirements too. Jesse Coburn, Curbed, 31 Jan. 2025 At minimum, the online attacks ran afoul of basic internal guidelines, investigators said. Landon Mion, Fox News, 29 Jan. 2025 But the Bagel mix into South Korea reported running afoul of authorities. Gawon Bae, CNN, 4 Feb. 2025 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 Feb. 2025.

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!