Phrasal verb
foul up
Irregular verb
Forms
Infinitive
foul up
Past
fouled up
Past participle
fouled up
Definition
phrasal verb. to spoil something or make a mistake that causes a plan to go wrong. You use this when you have accidentally made a mess of a situation.
phrasal verb. To bungle or spoil a task, situation, or arrangement through error or incompetence. The verb is often used transitively with a direct object, though it can also function intransitively to describe a general failure.
Examples
“I really fouled up my job interview this morning.”
“The travel agency fouled up our hotel reservation, so we had to find a new place to stay at midnight.”
“A single miscalculation in the logistics chain can foul up the entire distribution network for weeks.”
Examples
simple
“I really fouled up my job interview this morning.”
contextual
“The travel agency fouled up our hotel reservation, so we had to find a new place to stay at midnight.”
complex
“A single miscalculation in the logistics chain can foul up the entire distribution network for weeks.”
Usage
The phrase is informal and can be used with or without a direct object.
Teaching tip
Compare with 'mess up' or 'screw up'; 'foul up' is slightly less common in modern youth slang but remains a standard informal choice for describing errors.
Pitfall
The error fouled up of the system.
The error fouled up the system.
The verb is transitive and does not require the preposition 'of' before the object.
Phrasal verb
Particles
up
Separability
optional
Pattern
foul + (object) + up
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
PHRASAL VERB
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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