1
as in to stain
to make dirty
unsightly mud and slush befouls the family car every winter
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2
as in to pollute
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable
the enemy had befouled the water in all of the area's wells with animal carcasses
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Recent Examples of befoul
Hundreds of women will dress up against the cold on a gray November day to protest a pipeline that could befoul their water and will almost certainly lead to the final befouling of the planet.
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Washington Post, 20 Apr. 2022
But dip even the most blood-befouled corset in a tub of warm water and swish, swish, swish — Lucy’s lace nightgown, or a doctor’s lab coat — is restored to its original snowy sheen.
—Mary Carole McCauley, baltimoresun.com, 24 Oct. 2019
The poison of authoritarianism is as pervasive as the cloud of sulfur dioxide that befouled the air in East Germany.
—Kyle Smith, National Review, 26 Feb. 2020
Michael Kuta, 26, of the 700 block of South Addison Avenue, Villa Park, was cited for disorderly conduct – befouling property at 1:15 a.m. Nov. 28 after he was observed urinating on bushes in the 100 block of South York Street.
—Graydon Megan, chicagotribune.com, 6 Dec. 2019
See all Example Sentences for befoul 
Washington Post, 20 Apr. 2022
But dip even the most blood-befouled corset in a tub of warm water and swish, swish, swish — Lucy’s lace nightgown, or a doctor’s lab coat — is restored to its original snowy sheen.
—Mary Carole McCauley, baltimoresun.com, 24 Oct. 2019
The poison of authoritarianism is as pervasive as the cloud of sulfur dioxide that befouled the air in East Germany.
—Kyle Smith, National Review, 26 Feb. 2020
Michael Kuta, 26, of the 700 block of South Addison Avenue, Villa Park, was cited for disorderly conduct – befouling property at 1:15 a.m. Nov. 28 after he was observed urinating on bushes in the 100 block of South York Street.
—Graydon Megan, chicagotribune.com, 6 Dec. 2019
See all Example Sentences for befoul
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befoul
Verb
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In conducting the study, the team also developed a new technique to stain collagen fibers to analyze their impact on the skin’s mechanics.Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Dec. 2024
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This particular query came (stop it) during a recent interview with Variety where Daniel Craig asked if a shot of sheets stained with semen was kept in the final cut’s establishing scene.David Opie, IndieWire, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
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According to the United Nation Environment Programme, people produce 400 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, polluting water supplies.Leigh Cuen, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024
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By Zoë Schlanger When delegates of the world gather in Baku, Azerbaijan, next week for the most important yearly meeting on climate change, their meetings will overlook a reeking lake, polluted by the oil fields on the other side.Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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But the task has been performed so many times that dust and metal from the robot’s fingers have blackened the edges.James Somers, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024
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The fire burned for 64 days, blackening 429,603 acres in Butte and Tehama counties and destroying 709 homes and other structures.Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Instead, Walz seems to have little to say about factory farming dirtying the state’s waterways.Kenny Torrella, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
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Garments can be dirtied again by the elements if air-dried outside.Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 July 2024
Verb
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Starbucks works hard to keep its coffee aroma from being sullied by food and other smells in its stores — employees aren’t even allowed to wear fragrances.Whizy Kim, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
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Not even a string of disappointing sequels, two bad movies, and odd franchise pivots by Konami has sullied its renown.Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2024
Verb
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There’s a new promo picture going around showing a Dusty Milligan with facial hair (see: above) — and listen, not to besmirch his infinity-pool jawline, but the dude looks so much better with that scruff.Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
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The Jefferson Council, a conservative alumni group, had been calling for an end or change to the tour program, insisting that volunteers had been wrongly besmirching the legacy of UVA's founder.David K. Li, NBC News, 30 Aug. 2024
Verb
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But as the unfolding pandemic soiled their plans, a new manifestation emerged: a home by George Washington Smith (an esteemed architect known for Spanish Colonial Revival residences in the region) with an intact floor plan in Montecito.Sydney Gore, Architectural Digest, 6 Dec. 2024
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As the cloth becomes soiled, rinse in plain water, wring well, and dampen again with vinegar.Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Mannie then interjected that social media has a habit of mucking things up.Angel Diaz, Billboard, 23 Oct. 2024
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No need to muck a barn or toss a bale of hay to wear one of the autumn'sbiggest trends — workwear is no longer for work’s sake (at least not exclusively).Aemilia Madden, refinery29.com, 21 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Befoul.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befoul. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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