as in mistake
an instance of confusion
there was a foul-up with our mail order, and not one item arrived as ordered
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
tried not to foul up the football play
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to trip
to make a mistake
unfortunately, I fouled up and in my e-mail gave everyone the wrong date for the meeting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of foul-up
Lance Eliot, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024
Many have faulted Cuba’s Stalinist bureaucratic centralization, but few critiques are as replete with concrete examples of foolishness and foul-ups.
—Richard Feinberg, Foreign Affairs, 1 Jan. 2012
Luke Winkie, The Atlantic, 22 July 2021
But a foul up with super formula license points stole that dream away.
—Nathan Brown, The Indianapolis Star, 3 May 2021
See all Example Sentences for foul-up 
Noun
That foul-up then gets included in the series of questions and answers, causing the final answer to go askew.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024
Many have faulted Cuba’s Stalinist bureaucratic centralization, but few critiques are as replete with concrete examples of foolishness and foul-ups.
—Richard Feinberg, Foreign Affairs, 1 Jan. 2012
Verb
Those intruders chop down the jungles and foul up the wetlands, as the spirits mount an offensive to drive them off the shorelines.
—Luke Winkie, The Atlantic, 22 July 2021
But a foul up with super formula license points stole that dream away.
—Nathan Brown, The Indianapolis Star, 3 May 2021
See all Example Sentences for foul-up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foul-up
Noun
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Reminding them that their jobs are hard and that making mistakes is to be expected also helps them to take risks and innovate without fear.Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 23 Dec. 2024
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Up to now, that has looked like a mistake, particularly given Eze, who was with Olise in his box, has struggled for form and, at times, fitness this season.Matt Woosnam, The Athletic, 23 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Taylor started Indy’s unraveling by fumbling away a would-be 41-yard touchdown early in the third quarter that would’ve given Indianapolis a 20-7 lead.Nick Kosmider, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
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That’s what Matt Stafford did after fumbling through the start of the game.Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Best Time to Visit To experience the best weather, Kensington Tours destination expert Jasmine Padda recommends that travelers book trips between either mid-September to mid-November or from March to April.Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 21 Dec. 2024
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Strong starts don’t guarantee continued success One need not look far in recent history to trip on the remains of companies whose share price never reached their IPO heights.Ilona Limonta-Volkova, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The mix-up happened on Monday, Dec. 16 during the Hornets-Philadelphia 76ers game when a few young fans were called to the court to receive Christmas presents from Hugo, the Hornets mascot.Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 18 Dec. 2024
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Reports By Chloe Mayer What's New North Korean troops fighting alongside Vladimir Putin's army in Ukraine mistakenly killed eight Russian soldiers due to a language barrier mix-up, Ukraine's intelligence service claims.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Gardner-Johnson’s play redeemed his ejection after two unsportsmanlike penalties last week when the Eagles blew a two-score lead to the Washington Commanders.Brooks Kubena, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024
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Milk, the drink of choice for an adult about to just absolutely blow someone’s back out.Allison P. Davis, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2024
Verb
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And—as the disorder’s apt name suggests—many of these peculiar symptoms match much of what Alice experienced after stumbling her way into Wonderland.Mark Travers, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
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The Tar Heels stumbled to a 6-6 finish, closing the season with back-to-back losses to Boston College and NC State.David Faris, Newsweek, 28 Dec. 2024
Noun
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In the hours following the attack, the was some initial confusion about whether law enforcement was investigating it as a terrorist incident, as the New Orleans mayor and an FBI special agent gave contradicting answers.Siladitya Ray, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
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There is probably a version of this story that centers on the grief and confusion Amy might feel about losing nearly a decade of her life.Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Jan. 2025
Verb
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But Mike gets in his face to say that Brady's the one screwing up his own life.Sara Netzley, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024
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So messy was his operation that even the NCAA’s oafs couldn’t screw up that investigation.Blake Toppmeyer, The Tennessean, 19 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near foul-up
Cite this Entry
“Foul-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foul-up. Accessed 7 Jan. 2025.
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