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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Most Popular Dan Hurley explains costly technical foul, more from UConn’s overtime loss in Maui Invitational Dan Hurley explains costly technical foul, more from UConn's overtime loss in Maui Invitational CVS broadens its ‘mass layoff’ with more CT positions cut. —

Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 27 Nov. 2024 Minutes later, after continuing to spout off, he and UConn’s bench earned a Class A technical foul. —

Brendan Marks, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024 Butler had a chance to end the shutout late in the first quarter, but missed a free throw after a Hornets technical foul. —

Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 26 Oct. 2024 At the end of the game, Green picked up two technical fouls — his third and fourth of the year — for his first ejection of the season. —

Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 17 Nov. 2024 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

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Technical foul.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/technical%20foul. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.

Copy Citation