cry foul

phrase

: to complain that someone has done something unfair
crying foul over the change in the rules

Examples of cry 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.
Mathematicians are crying foul, said Zeynep Tufekci in The New York Times. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 13 Oct. 2026 In a world full of gaslighters who cry foul over a gambling commercial, be more like Charley Hull and Sydney Sweeney. — Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026 If the United States moves ahead with mining in open ocean areas, countries that have signed on to international laws restricting extraction, including China, India, and Russia, will likely cry foul. — Michael Albertus, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026 Hollywood Drift has also attracted some unwanted attention from the neighboring community of Toluca Lake, where residents have cried foul at the sound of rider screams emanating from the coaster. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cry foul

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cry foul was in 1839

Rhymes for cry foul

See All Rhymes for cry foul

Browse Nearby Words

cry for the moon
cry foul
cry havoc
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cry foul.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cry%20foul. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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