foist

American  

[foist] / fɔɪst /

verb (used with object)

1. to force upon or impose fraudulently or unjustifiably (usually followed by on orupon ).

   to foist inferior merchandise on a customer.

2. to bring, put, or introduce surreptitiously or fraudulently (usually followed by in orinto ).

   to foist political views into a news story.

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foist British  

/ fɔɪst /

verb

1. to sell or pass off (something, esp an inferior article) as genuine, valuable, etc

2. to insert surreptitiously or wrongfully

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Other Word Forms

• unfoisted
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of foist

1535–45; < Dutch dialect vuisten, derivative of vuist fist ¹

Explanation

Did your parents foist your baby sister on you when they went out? It means they forced her on you. Anything — a person or object or idea — can be foisted if it's done by force upon an unwilling party. Foist used to imply a degree of deception rather than just brute force, but that's a meaning that's pretty much lost now: if something's foisted upon you, you know about it. The earlier meaning comes from an old Dutch term for palming a loaded die into a game. Today we call that cheating.

Example Sentences

In that scenario, Sheinbaum could essentially be washing her hands of the decision and foist it on the ministries.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026

Instead, lenders and credit firms can foist the costs onto taxpayers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 15, 2026

Second, Marc Rowan, VCs like Peter Thiel, and hedge fund managers like Bill Ackman and Leon Cooperman have been sharply critical of these schools as they work to foist changes in leadership and curriculum.

From Barron's • Dec. 5, 2025

Long delays will mean shippers will be trying to foist mushy brown bananas on consumers who might reject them.

From Salon • Oct. 2, 2024

The waiter tried to foist Toucinho do Ceu and Mousse de Chocolate on them, but Dimple declined for the both of them.

From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon