Fouled

Fouled is the past tense and past participle of the verb foul. In general, to foul something is to make it dirty, impure, or obstructed, or to violate rules or standards. The adjective fouled describes objects or situations that have been affected in this way.

In sports, a foul is a breach of the rules. When a player commits a foul, the opposing team may be awarded a free throw, penalty, or possession. The term fouled can describe a player who has been unlawfully impeded, as in “She was fouled during the shot,” or a player who has accumulated too many infractions and has fouled out of the game in some sports.

In nautical contexts, to foul means to become entangled or obstructed by something such as lines, nets, or sea growth. A fouled anchor or fouled propeller can hinder a vessel’s operation and may require freeing the obstruction. Fouling of hulls is a maintenance concern that increases drag and reduces efficiency.

In technical and everyday usage, fouled describes parts or systems that have become dirty or contaminated, such as a fouled spark plug, a fouled filter, or a fouled air intake, all of which can impair performance or safety.

The term is used across English-speaking contexts with senses ranging from obstruction or contamination to violations of rules.