# cry foul

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/cry-foul
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To protest about something which appears to be unjust.

## Examples

- The players cried foul when the referee made a bad call.
- When the company announced the unfair new rules, the employees immediately cried foul and demanded a meeting with management.
- The opposition party cried foul, arguing that the sudden change in election procedures undermined the integrity of the democratic process.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.