Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for afoul of. Search instead for avail of.

afoul of

Idioms  

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.

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

Whatever work your business hires your child to do, make sure it does not run afoul of any federal or local labor laws.

From MarketWatch • May 26, 2026

Over time, the promise of fair pricing became enmeshed with an even loftier assurance: by partnering with “ethical factories,” it would sell better-made clothing in a way that didn’t run afoul of the customer’s morals.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026

This judge had complete command of her courtroom and had no qualms about lambasting anyone who ran afoul of the rules.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

Because nothing good could come of running afoul of the bad men in the yard.

From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "afoul of" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com