1
as in fumbled
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
tried not to foul up the football play
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stumbled
to make a mistake
unfortunately, I fouled up and in my e-mail gave everyone the wrong date for the meeting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fouled up
But their strategy was fouled up when the car’s occupants switched on the headlights, throwing a glare up the tote road along which the wardens had planned to sprint.
—
Dave Duffey, Outdoor Life, 26 Mar. 2026
Wild turkeys gobbled up Staten Island straphangers’ time on Monday, after a flock fouled up service on the Staten Island Railway.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 17 Mar. 2026
Karaban almost had a costly turnover on an inbound play with 14 seconds left, but the Huskies fouled up three and Mulready split his free throw attempts, setting up the game-clinching freebies from the Huskies’ captain.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 15 Feb. 2026
Dave Duffey, Outdoor Life, 26 Mar. 2026
Wild turkeys gobbled up Staten Island straphangers’ time on Monday, after a flock fouled up service on the Staten Island Railway.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 17 Mar. 2026
Karaban almost had a costly turnover on an inbound play with 14 seconds left, but the Huskies fouled up three and Mulready split his free throw attempts, setting up the game-clinching freebies from the Huskies’ captain.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 15 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fouled up
Verb
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Trailing to Jule Brand's 19th-minute goal for record eight-time champion Lyon, Arsenal was gifted an equalizer in the 59th when Mariona Caldentey's low free kick into the area was fumbled backward by goalkeeper Christiane Endler and onto the post.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Apr. 2026
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Critics say the Epstein files show how Republican and Democratic administrations alike fumbled the Epstein investigation over two decades, leaving potential coconspirators uncharged.—
Curt Devine,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After starting the season with the sixth-best odds to win the World Series, the Red Sox had stumbled out of the gate to a 10-17 record.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
29 Apr. 2026
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The president briefly stumbled before being assisted to a secure suite reserved for him behind the stage.—
Calvin Woodward,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Amid chaotic scenes of masked immigration agents roaming neighborhood streets as protesters blew warning whistles, the operation led to two shootings by agents, including the fatal shooting in Franklin Park of Silverio Villegas Gonzalez in September.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
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In one video, Brittany and her friends could be seen laughing as their hair blew furiously in the wind.—
Kirsty Hatcher,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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There’s Championship action on Monday, when Middlesbrough travel to Sheffield United knowing a win will lift them to the top of the table, after Coventry City slipped up again on Saturday.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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And while Conrad was the one who slipped up at the peach orchard in Episode 5, Belly’s the one to blame in Seadon 3, Episode 6.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The Sens are going to lose their pick for nothing at all, because of how a GM their fans didn’t like screwed up a trade his team wasn’t even involved in.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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That might be kind of screwed up.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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It’s been all Atleti, but now Arsenal has been awarded a penalty after Eberechi Eze is tripped.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
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Space heaters provided heat, but the sloths were kept in the cold for at least one night after a fuse tripped.—
Ryan Brennan
April 27,
Kansas City Star,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In 1976, Rose kidnapped and murdered Lisa Berry, an 8-year-old girl from Hollywood.—
Rafael Olmeda,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
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Someone who received special treatment was marked to be murdered.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fouled up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fouled%20up. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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