afoul

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But Rossetti’s comments ran afoul of his boss, the Catholic archbishop of Washington, D.C., who announced Wednesday he had “removed” Rossetti from his position as an exorcist.

From Slate • Jun. 8, 2026

Whatever work your business hires your child to do, make sure it does not run afoul of any federal or local labor laws.

From MarketWatch • May 26, 2026

Over time, the promise of fair pricing became enmeshed with an even loftier assurance: by partnering with “ethical factories,” it would sell better-made clothing in a way that didn’t run afoul of the customer’s morals.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026

This judge had complete command of her courtroom and had no qualms about lambasting anyone who ran afoul of the rules.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

Bunderson, in describing Reggie’s actions as being like any other distraction, seemed to run afoul of everything that they had learned during this twenty-nine-month period, from Dr. Strayer and all the rest.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel