personal foul

American

noun

Sports.

a foul called in certain games, as basketball or football, for illegal body contact or rough, unsportsmanlike play.

Etymology

Origin of personal foul

First recorded in 1820–30

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.

There were numerous 15-yard personal foul penalties for taunting, late hits, grabbing the face mask and a horse collar.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 23, 2025

“He knows that we have his back,” said Bozeman, who was called for a personal foul and described Shepherd’s play as “unacceptable.”

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 28, 2024

Broome, calling a personal foul on himself, went back over to Freeman during the game.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 3, 2024

The unnecessary roughness penalty was the third personal foul on Greenlaw this season and his ejection was his second in the past two years.

From Washington Times • Dec. 9, 2023

The lone fine, revealed by the league Saturday, was levied on Washington cornerback Emmanuel Forbes for a personal foul on a hit to the helmet of Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 18, 2023

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