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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Currency with mistakes can also be worth a lot, so be on the lookout for modern dimes without the S mark.Miguel Legoas, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024
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But getting the technology to follow open-ended commands reliably remains a challenge, with the risk that errors could translate into costly and hard-to-undo mistakes.Will Knight, WIRED, 11 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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And Brunson? All hearts in New York City skipped a beat when the Knicks’ captain and floor general tripped over a fan sitting court side and gingerly walked directly to the locker room.Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 10 Dec. 2024
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Although quarterback Jared Goff tripped during the handoff exchange with running back David Montgomery, the Lions still managed to put Lions kicker Jake Bates in position for a 35-yard field goal attempt.Chantz Martin, Fox News, 6 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Can their mix-up lead to their best holiday season ever in The Holiday Honeymoon Switch?Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 8 Dec. 2024
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Despite being confused by the mix-up, Lyonne went on to compliment Duff, who worked with Coolidge on the 2004 film A Cinderella Story.Lexy Perez, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
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To have someone so esteemed give that sort of affirmation about my work really just blew me away.Curtis Bunn, NBC News, 12 Dec. 2024
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Many of the winds that blow down mountain slopes in California are also named for their locale, according to Null.Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The chances of you strolling up to a domain registrar and snapping up a domain worth thousands of dollars is about the same as stumbling upon a Jackson Pollock in a thrift store.Darpan Munjal, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
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In Northern California, the San Francisco Giants stumbled to another losing season in 2024.David K. Li, NBC News, 11 Dec. 2024
Noun
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There was also confusion concerning Blaise’s whereabouts when Bailey died.Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
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Avoid using jargon or complex language that could result in any confusion.James Bryant, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Jessica and Ashlee Simpson, ‘The Little Drummer Boy’ There really aren’t many ways to screw up a straightforward ballad that needs only a rolling snare drum as required instrumentation, but leave it to the Simpson sisters circa 2004 to burn it all down.Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
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Collection Much like Nightmare Before Christmas, Joe Dante’s enduring horror favorite Gremlins plays like someone wanted to see how badly a bunch of little monsters could screw up the setting of another Christmas classic.Keith Phipps, Vulture, 5 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 22 Dec. 2024.
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