foul line

noun

1
: either of two straight lines extending from the rear corner of home plate through the outer corners of first and third base respectively and prolonged to the boundary of a baseball field
2
: a line across a bowling alley that a player must not step over when delivering the ball
3
: either of two lines on a basketball court parallel to and 15 feet from the backboards behind which a player must stand while shooting a free throw

Examples of foul line in a Sentence

The ball landed just inside the right-field foul line.
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.
Mitchell contributed 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field, 1-of-3 shooting from three-point range and 4-of-4 shooting from the foul line, three rebounds and four assists in 24 minutes. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026 Hines finished with a game-high 17 points on 5 of 7 shooting from the field, 7 of 8 from the foul line, and grabbed eight rebounds, blocked two shots and made a steal in just 17 minutes. — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 13 Oct. 2026 The confusion came in the final seconds of OT when New York trailed and Angel Reese was at the foul line. — ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026 Reese, the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, went to the foul line and sank both free throws to extend the Dream’s lead to three points. — Chantz Martin Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for foul line

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of foul line was in 1868

Rhymes for foul line

See All Rhymes for foul line

Browse Nearby Words

fouling shot
foul line
foully
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

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Kids Definition

foul line

noun
1
: either of two straight lines running from the rear corner of home plate through first and third base on to the boundary of a baseball field
2
: a line across which a player must not step (as when bowling or shooting a free throw)
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