personal foul

noun

: a foul in a game (such as basketball) involving usually physical contact with or deliberate roughing of an opponent compare technical foul

Examples of personal 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.
No points docked for committing 25 personal fouls and sending Oklahoma to the free-throw line a staggering 27 times. Brendan Marks, The Athletic, 22 Mar. 2025 With slow-motion instant replays, determining a catch or a player’s intention for a personal foul can actually be distorted by low-speed replay, since humans aren’t adept at adjusting to shifting replay speeds. Arthur Daemmrich, The Conversation, 14 Mar. 2025 The internet mob was also up in arms after the Chiefs’ Divisional Round game against the Houston Texans during which two defenders were flagged for personal fouls on Patrick Mahomes. Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 6 Feb. 2025 If a personal foul is also involved, a 15-yard penalty is also enforced. Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 14 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for personal foul

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1829, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of personal foul was circa 1829

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Cite this Entry

“Personal foul.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/personal%20foul. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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