technical foul

noun

basketball
: a foul that is assessed to a player, coach, or team typically for unsportsmanlike conduct (such as arguing with an official or taunting an opponent) and does not usually involve physical contact with an opponent while the ball is in play

called also technical

compare personal foul

Examples of technical foul in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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And on the Wisconsin side, an assistant coach was assessed a technical foul on the sideline. Sam Blum, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025 With a little under five minutes left in the game and with the Cardinals trailing by 12 points, Louisville head coach Pat Kelsey picked up a technical foul for arguing with an official, seemingly upset with a no-call on the Cardinals’ most recent offensive possession. Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 20 Mar. 2025 Durant and Spencer were both given technical fouls. Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2025 Doncic picked up his fourth technical foul in his 12 games with the Lakers (his ninth of the season), late in the third. Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 10 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for technical foul

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of technical foul was in 1896

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Cite this Entry

“Technical foul.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/technical%20foul. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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