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.
Both of Georgia Tech's first-half touchdown drives were kept alive by Duke third-down penalties, and a personal foul penalty also handed the Yellow Jackets 15 yards on their final touchdown drive. — ABC News, 10 Oct. 2026 Seattle coach Mike Macdonald took the seven personal foul penalties his team got quite personally. — Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026 Day played well, aside from a personal foul penalty on a late hit on a Clemson player who had gone out of bounds. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026 He’s been called for 11 personal fouls throughout his career, including six in 2023. — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 4 Oct. 2026 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

Rhymes for personal foul

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Browse Nearby Words

personal flag
personal foul
personal freedom
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Cite this Entry

“Personal foul.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/personal%20foul. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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