Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

foiled

1 American  
[foild] / fɔɪld /

verb

  1. the simple past tense and past participle of foil.

adjective

  1. prevented from succeeding; thwarted; blocked.

    A woman is now being questioned in connection with the foiled terror plot to attack churches in Paris.
foiled 2 American  
[foild] / fɔɪld /

adjective

Architecture.

  1. ornamented with foils (arcs or rounded spaces), as a gable, spandrel, or balustrade.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of foiled1

First recorded in 1300–50 as a verb, for an earlier sense; foil 1 ( def. ) + -ed 1 ( def. ), and in 1680–90 as an adjective; foil 1 ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )

Origin of foiled2

First recorded in 1655–65; foil 2 + -ed 3

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.

Of all the species they have tried to bank, Ellyn said Juniper had foiled them three years in a row.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

Iran-linked plots have also been foiled beyond Europe, pointing to a broader campaign.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

At the time, he and his fellow marchers were completely unaware that a plan had been foiled, potentially targeting that event.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

Reports of a foiled coup later appeared in the Nigerian press.

From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026

I hadn’t foiled the exam, I’d bombed it hard.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.