fall/run afoul of
idiom
chiefly US
: to get into trouble because of not obeying or following (the law, a rule, etc.)
After leaving home he fell afoul of the law.
an investor who has run afoul of stock market rules
Examples of fall/run afoul of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Several Democratic lawmakers even raised concerns that a settlement might run afoul of anti-bribery laws.
—
Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 2 July 2025
The case demonstrated the challenges state lawmakers face when trying to balance complying with the Voting Rights Act without relying too much on race during the drawing the political lines, which can run afoul of the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause.
—June 27, CBS News, 27 June 2025
Allocations that pay male athletes more than female athletes could run afoul of Title IX, although that issue remains to be determined.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 8 June 2025
There, Li befriends Mia (Sadie Stanley) and her father Victor (Joshua Jackson), who run a pizza joint and have run afoul of a loan shark, O’Shea (Tim Rozon) who also happens to run a mixed martial arts gym.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 30 May 2025
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Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 2 July 2025
The case demonstrated the challenges state lawmakers face when trying to balance complying with the Voting Rights Act without relying too much on race during the drawing the political lines, which can run afoul of the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause.
—June 27, CBS News, 27 June 2025
Allocations that pay male athletes more than female athletes could run afoul of Title IX, although that issue remains to be determined.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 8 June 2025
There, Li befriends Mia (Sadie Stanley) and her father Victor (Joshua Jackson), who run a pizza joint and have run afoul of a loan shark, O’Shea (Tim Rozon) who also happens to run a mixed martial arts gym.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for fall/run afoul of
Cite this Entry
“Fall/run afoul of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fall%2Frun%20afoul%20of. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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