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afoul

[uh-foul] / əˈfaʊl /


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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“Running afoul of tax laws can be a costly financial mistake,” Balcom said.

From MarketWatch Aug. 8, 2026

The commission then determines whether the station has “served the public interest” and has not run afoul of the “rules and regulations of the Commission.”

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 30, 2026

The state Supreme Court this spring blocked the initiative on the dubious rationale that it ran afoul of a constitutional requirement that initiatives must be limited to a single subject.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 30, 2026

But Rossetti’s comments ran afoul of his boss, the Catholic archbishop of Washington, D.C., who announced Wednesday he had “removed” Rossetti from his position as an exorcist.

From Slate Jun. 8, 2026

In Philadelphia, she heard stories about three different runaways who had run afoul of the law, for these stories were being told everywhere —North and South.

From "Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad" by Ann Petry




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