1
as in to stain
to make dirty
unsightly mud and slush befouls the family car every winter
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to pollute
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable
the enemy had befouled the water in all of the area's wells with animal carcasses
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of befoul
Human attention is presented as an endangered public resource, befouled by the attention economy, tech companies, virtual workplaces, Slack notifications.
—
Parul Sehgal, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2023
Hundreds of women will dress up against the cold on a gray November day to protest a pipeline that could befoul their water and will almost certainly lead to the final befouling of the planet.
—Washington Post, 20 Apr. 2022
The poison of authoritarianism is as pervasive as the cloud of sulfur dioxide that befouled the air in East Germany.
—Kyle Smith, National Review, 26 Feb. 2020
Michael Kuta, 26, of the 700 block of South Addison Avenue, Villa Park, was cited for disorderly conduct – befouling property at 1:15 a.m. Nov. 28 after he was observed urinating on bushes in the 100 block of South York Street.
—Graydon Megan, chicagotribune.com, 6 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for befoul
Parul Sehgal, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2023
Hundreds of women will dress up against the cold on a gray November day to protest a pipeline that could befoul their water and will almost certainly lead to the final befouling of the planet.
—Washington Post, 20 Apr. 2022
The poison of authoritarianism is as pervasive as the cloud of sulfur dioxide that befouled the air in East Germany.
—Kyle Smith, National Review, 26 Feb. 2020
Michael Kuta, 26, of the 700 block of South Addison Avenue, Villa Park, was cited for disorderly conduct – befouling property at 1:15 a.m. Nov. 28 after he was observed urinating on bushes in the 100 block of South York Street.
—Graydon Megan, chicagotribune.com, 6 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for befoul
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befoul
Verb
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Water can stain or fade many silk fabrics, leaving a permanent mark if it isn't taken care of quickly.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
10 May 2025
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Tuesday’s attack – during which men were singled out and gunned down from close range, according to survivors’ testimony – was the latest in a list of bloody incidents to stain the region.—
Aishwarya S Iyer,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The intent, the critics have said, is in fact to stifle findings about the noxious content that is increasingly polluting social media and political discourse.—
Steven Lee Myers,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
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Leaks from this antiquated sewer system are polluting Rock Creek and threaten the public health of all those who come in contact with it.—
Dan Gooding
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 May 2025
Verb
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If a vigorous plant begins to blacken at the top or whole branches are dying back, this is a sign that something is wrong.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
10 May 2025
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Ice, for serving Lime wedges, optional garnish Mint sprigs, optional garnish Roast the pepper until the skin is uniformly blackened.—
Kelly Brant,
Arkansas Online,
6 May 2025
Verb
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Crème Brûlée Steve Granitz Crème brûlée is like butter blonde, but dirtied up a bit for a browned, warm tint.—
Audrey Noble,
Vogue,
2 May 2025
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He’s come through with timely hits, dirtied his uniform on the bases and made an impact with his arm in the outfield.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Suddenly, trustees needed to concern themselves with not only the size of a donor’s check but also whether the signature on it would end up sullying the institution’s name. Enter a new class of due-diligence companies.—
Mary Holland,
Robb Report,
1 Dec. 2024
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As Justin seeks a way to clear James’ name without sullying his own, each participant in the trial is forced to find their own definition of doing the right thing.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
28 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Their reputations were besmirched.—
The Editors,
National Review,
17 Dec. 2024
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Images illustrating the reality versus carefully edited Instagram selfies have somewhat besmirched Santorini’s romantic reputation of late.—
Helen Iatrou,
AFAR Media,
16 Dec. 2024
Verb
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There was fecal matter, urine, empty containers and soiled clothes all over the floor, the warrant affidavit said.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
19 Feb. 2025
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Hollywood is soiling itself at the thought of a director (eventually) owning the rights to his work?—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
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No doubt, climate change threatens to muck it all up, disturbing patterns that have existed for centuries.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
28 Apr. 2025
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Even though this team isn't good at shooting threes, their defense mucks everything up enough to win games.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
15 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Befoul.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befoul. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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