foulness

American  

[foul-nis] / ˈfaʊl nɪs /

noun

1. the state or quality of being foul.

   The foulness of the accusation incensed us all.

2. something that is foul; foul matter; filth.

3. wickedness.

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foulness ¹ British  

/ ˈfaʊlnɪs /

noun

1. the state or quality of being foul

2. obscenity; vulgarity

3. viciousness or inhumanity

4. foul matter; filth

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Foulness ² British  

/ faʊlˈnɛs /

noun

1. a flat marshy island in SE England, in Essex north of the Thames estuary

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Etymology

Origin of foulness

before 1150; Middle English; Old English fūlnes. See foul, -ness

Example Sentences

In the decades since, though, the main charge against the show hasn’t been foulness so much as incoherence.

From New York Times • Oct. 28, 2023

When he finally arrived, he idled in the driveway for a moment, hoping his foulness might dissipate before he had to encounter his young family.

From Slate • Nov. 26, 2022

How does she have time to throw such petty foulness into the town square?

From Washington Post • Nov. 30, 2021

And across China, the smog becomes a dominant topic on social media, with the population tracking the foulness of the air via mobile phone apps.

From BBC • Jan. 14, 2017

I do not think words can do justice to a description of the foulness and filthiness of this bedding.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela