foul-up
5
7.7
- noun
- /ˈfaʊlˌʌp/
- Informal
- The conference was delayed due to a scheduling foul-up that confused the organizers.
- bureaucratic foul-up
- a major foul-up
- mechanical foul-up
Examples
-
There was a serious foul-up in the shipping process, causing deliveries to be late.
-
I spent most of Thursday dealing with a foul-up in feed supplies.
Fiction book (1999) -
- Must be a foul-up somewhere.
-
And this time, no foul-ups.
-
Captain, I think we have a computer foul-up.
-
This whole operation has been a foul-up.
-
Sorry about the foul-up with your outfit.
-
There has been a communications foul-up.
-
I don't want anymore foul ups, people.
-
Once again, we had a foul-up on that scrimmage.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
A wrong action or decision
85
8.2
A silly or embarrassing mistake
53
3.3
A mistake that happens when someone confuses one thing with another
50
3.5
A small mistake that causes embarrassment
49
3.0
A careless mistake that causes embarrassment or problems
44
5.3
A small wrong action that causes embarrassment or harm to people's trust
33
6.1
A careless mistake that causes problems or embarrassment
20
6.5
A problem that happens because of a big mistake and spoils plans
14
6.1
An embarrassing mistake that happens in public or during a show
9
5.1
A situation that is badly organized and full of mistakes
9
3.4
A small mistake that is often embarrassing
6
7.7
An embarrassing mistake made when someone is careless or nervous
5
9.9
A serious or embarrassing mistake that causes problems
4
2.8
A careless, foolish error that causes problems
3
6.5
A careless mistake that shows a lack of skill
3
7.6
An embarrassing mistake that happens because of bad or careless work
3
9.9
A small problem that causes confusion or delay
1
9.6
A serious mistake that happens because of confusion or poor planning
1
5.6
A big mistake that causes serious problems
1
6.7
An embarrassing mistake that shows you were careless
1
9.9
A very serious mistake that causes big problems, often because someone was careless
1
9.9
A situation made into a big mess by careless or bad actions
1
8.7
An embarrassing mistake someone makes in public
A confused, badly organized situation that causes problems
In a state of complete confusion because of a mistake or bad planning
A small mistake that causes embarrassment or trouble
A short embarrassing mistake you make
A foolish mistake made without thinking that causes trouble
Antonyms
How Serious
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Foul-up comes from the parts foul ('bad' or 'dirty') and up (showing something is 'made messy' or wrong). Think of it like 'mess up' — a foul-up is a serious or embarrassing mistake caused by confusion or carelessness.