Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

run afoul

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.63 in modern English

Syllables
run afoul
IPA
11
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
1
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To become entangled or in conflict with.

Intransitive verb; Transitive verb

Example Sentences

Usage

Inflected Forms

runs afoul (present, singular) running afoul (participle, present) ran afoul (past)

Phrases

run afoul of

Frequently Paired Words

run afoul of

Synonyms

conflict infringe contravene

Questions

What does run afoul mean?
To become entangled or in conflict with.

How to pronounce run afoul

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “run afoul”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “run afoul”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “run afoul” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.