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“Foul” or “Fowl”

foul / fowl are similar-sounding terms with different meanings (referred to as homophones). To better understand the differences, see below for definitions, pronunciation guides, and example sentences using each term.

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Definitions

What each term means

Same sound, different spellings and meanings, shown with a pronunciation guide for each term.

foul f·AW·l

  • nounan act that violates the rules of a sport.
  • verbhit a foul ball.
  • verbcommit a foul; break the rules.
  • verbspot, stain, or pollute.
  • verbmake unclean.
  • verbbecome soiled and dirty.
  • adjective(of a baseball) not hit between the foul lines.

fowl f·AW·l

  • verbhunt fowl.
  • verbhunt fowl in the forest.
Usage

Examples in context

Real sentences for each spelling. Hover an example to copy it.

“foul”

  • …after getting hit by a foul tip by outfielder Rajai Davis;…
  • …"the Killer" was in a foul mood when he showed up…
  • …the ball was fair or foul, over the fence or not,…
  • …Okafor picked up his fourth foul at the 9:18 mark, sending…
  • …loss to Kansas, but suffered foul trouble that limited his effectiveness.
  • …a driver will commit a foul (other than red light starts,…
  • …and down the right field foul line.
  • …morals (sexual impropriety, blasphemy, and foul language).
  • The ball struck the foul pole, giving the Red Sox…
  • …on the bench due to foul trouble.

“fowl”

  • …small service of fish or fowl, may be eaten in order…
  • "Djilawurr (Orange-Footed Scrub Fowl)" - 4:14
  • In Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series, Atlantis is a Lower…
  • …American Poultry Association for large fowl: black, black breasted red, silver…
  • …is a profusion of water fowl and, in season, other migratory…
  • …domesticated dogs, pigs, sheep, goats, fowl, and other animals in Europe,…
  • …used are chicken or small fowl, such as Houbara bustards, and
  • …between a serpent and a fowl."
  • Their closest living relatives are fowl.
  • …Bush campaign also engaged in fowl play, releasing live ducks at…

Examples are Wikipedia snippets under the CC ShareAlike 3.0 license. Definitions are drawn from WordNet.

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