fall/run afoul of

idiom

chiefly US
: to get into trouble because of not obeying or following (the law, a rule, etc.)
After leaving home he fell afoul of the law.
an investor who has run afoul of stock market rules

Examples of fall/run 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.
AfD was the first party to run afoul of those guardrails. Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 24 Feb. 2025 However, the group No Digital Billboards in San Jose has rejected the city’s rationale for moving forward with the deal, arguing the negative impacts to residents outweigh any prospective benefits and run afoul of the city’s goals. Devan Patel, The Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2025 The charge in Valparaiso wasn’t the first time Perryman had run afoul of the law, according to two documents The Post-Tribune received Friday evening. Michelle L. Quinn, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2025 LibsOfTikTok, an account Musk often boosts and that subjects unsuspecting, often LGBTQ TikTok users to abuse, has seemingly run afoul of the policy unpunished. Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fall/run afoul of

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fall/run afoul of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fall%2Frun%20afoul%20of. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.

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!