foil

1 of 5

verb (1)

ˈfȯi(-ə)l How to pronounce foil (audio)
foiled; foiling; foils
Synonyms of foilnext

transitive verb

1
a
: to prevent from attaining an end : defeat
always able to foil her enemies
Her accident foiled her from becoming a dancer.
b
: to bring to naught : thwart
foiled the plot
Police foiled an attempted robbery.
2
obsolete : trample

foil

2 of 5

noun (1)

1
: very thin sheet metal
aluminum foil
2
: a thin piece of material (such as metal) put under an inferior or paste stone to add color or brilliance
3
: someone or something that serves as a contrast to another
acted as a foil for a comedian
4
a
: an indentation between cusps in Gothic tracery
b
: one of several arcs that enclose a complex figure
5
: hydrofoil sense 1

foil

3 of 5

verb (2)

foiled; foiling; foils

transitive verb

1
: to back or cover with foil
2
: to enhance by contrast

foil

4 of 5

noun (2)

1
: a light fencing sword having a usually circular guard and a flexible blade of rectangular section tapering to a blunted point compare épée, saber
2
: the art or sport of fencing with the foil
—often used in plural

foil

5 of 5

noun (3)

1
archaic : defeat
2
archaic : the track or trail of an animal

Synonyms

Verb (1)

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for foil

frustrate, thwart, foil, baffle, balk mean to check or defeat another's plan or block achievement of a goal.

frustrate implies making vain or ineffectual all efforts however vigorous or persistent.

frustrated attempts at government reform

thwart suggests frustration or checking by crossing or opposing.

the army thwarted his attempt at a coup

foil implies checking or defeating so as to discourage further effort.

foiled by her parents, he stopped trying to see her

baffle implies frustration by confusing or puzzling.

baffled by the maze of rules and regulations

balk suggests the interposing of obstacles or hindrances.

officials felt that legal restrictions had balked their efforts to control crime

Examples of foil in a Sentence

Verb (1) in popular fiction the hero will always foil the villain's plans
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.
Verb
This was her plan in the beginning of the show, too, foiled by the advent of an actual magical road. —Erik Kain, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024 Antisemitic graffiti was spread across walls in Paris this summer, and at least two plots to disrupt the Olympic Games were foiled. —Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2024
Noun
Loosely cover with foil, and bake at 350°F until onions are tender and a thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 160°F, 1 hour to 1 hour, 30 minutes. —Nicole Hopper, Southern Living, 4 Nov. 2024 Applications like laminates, foils and frostings, are used to create luminescent and innovative fabrics with endless opportunities for customization. —Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for foil 

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English foilen "to trample, tread upon, mortify (the flesh), oppress," alteration of fullen "to full (cloth), trample down, oppress," perhaps by analogy with loanwords from French with palatal l that result in variants with -oi- and -u-, as coilen, cullen "to select for quality, pick out, cull entry 1" — more at full entry 5

Noun (1)

Middle English, leaf, from Anglo-French fuille, foille (from Latin folia, plural of folium) & fuil, from Latin folium — more at blade

Noun (2)

origin unknown

Noun (3)

derivative of foil entry 1

First Known Use

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of foil was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing foil

Dictionary Entries Near foil

foie gras

foil

foiled

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Foil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foil. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

foil

1 of 3 verb
ˈfȯi(ə)l How to pronounce foil (audio)
: to prevent from achieving a goal : defeat
foil a plot

foil

2 of 3 noun
1
: a very thin sheet of metal
tin or aluminum foil
2
: one that serves as a contrast to another
acted as a foil for the comedian

foil

3 of 3 noun
: a fencing weapon having a light flexible blade with a blunt point
Etymology

Verb

Middle English foilen "to trample underfoot," from early French fuller, fouler "to shrink and thicken (cloth), trample underfoot," from Latin fullare "to shrink and thicken (cloth)"

Noun

Middle English foil "leaf," from early French fuille, foille (same meaning), derived from Latin folium "leaf" — related to foliage

Noun

origin unknown

Medical Definition

foil

noun
ˈfȯil How to pronounce foil (audio)
: very thin sheet metal (as of gold or platinum) used especially in filling teeth

More from Merriam-Webster on foil

Nglish: Translation of foil for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of foil for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about foil

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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