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foul-up

foul-up

5 7.7
A serious, embarrassing mistake often caused by confusion or poor planning
  • noun
  • /ˈfaʊlˌʌp/
  • Informal
translation icon : metedura de pata
  • 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

Synonyms

mistake
vsfoul-up
1.0

A wrong action or decision

is more specific, stressing embarrassing serious mistakes caused by confusion
boner
vsfoul-up
  • Archaic
85 8.2

A silly or embarrassing mistake

is used for more serious or significant embarrassing errors caused by confusion
mix-up
vsfoul-up
53 3.3

A mistake that happens when someone confuses one thing with another

is broader, covering embarrassing or serious errors not only from confusion
trip
vsfoul-up
  • Informal
50 3.5

A small mistake that causes embarrassment

is the broader concept for embarrassing serious mistakes typically from confusion
blunder
vsfoul-up
49 3.0

A careless mistake that causes embarrassment or problems

is the broader concept for serious embarrassing mistakes often from incompetence
misstep
vsfoul-up
44 5.3

A small wrong action that causes embarrassment or harm to people's trust

is wider, covering embarrassing serious mistakes often rooted in confusion
screw-up
vsfoul-up
  • Informal
33 6.1

A careless mistake that causes problems or embarrassment

is the broader idea of an embarrassing serious error often from confusion
screwup
vsfoul-up
  • Informal
20 6.5

A problem that happens because of a big mistake and spoils plans

is the single embarrassing or serious mistake often caused by confusion
blooper
vsfoul-up
14 6.1

An embarrassing mistake that happens in public or during a show

is the general term for serious or embarrassing mistakes beyond public slips
mess-up
vsfoul-up
  • Informal
9 5.1

A situation that is badly organized and full of mistakes

covers such botched results but emphasizes embarrassment or serious error from confusion
stumble
vsfoul-up
9 3.4

A small mistake that is often embarrassing

is the broader label for embarrassing serious errors often from confusion
flub
vsfoul-up
  • Informal
6 7.7

An embarrassing mistake made when someone is careless or nervous

is generally used for more serious or notable embarrassing errors from confusion
fuckup
vsfoul-up
  • Offensive
5 9.9

A serious or embarrassing mistake that causes problems

is the general concept for serious errors often due to confusion
dumb mistake
vsfoul-up
  • Informal
4 2.8

A careless, foolish error that causes problems

is focused more on embarrassing or serious mistakes due to confusion or incompetence
bungle
vsfoul-up
3 6.5

A careless mistake that shows a lack of skill

is the wider label for embarrassing or serious mistakes often from confusion
botch
vsfoul-up
3 7.6

An embarrassing mistake that happens because of bad or careless work

is a general term for serious embarrassing mistakes often caused by confusion
mish
vsfoul-up
  • Informal
3 9.9

A small problem that causes confusion or delay

is more formal and stresses embarrassment or seriousness due to incompetence
cockup
vsfoul-up
  • Slang
1 9.6

A serious mistake that happens because of confusion or poor planning

is the general label for embarrassing serious errors often from confusion
major screwup
vsfoul-up
  • Informal
1 5.6

A big mistake that causes serious problems

is used more generally for embarrassing serious errors from incompetence
bloomer
vsfoul-up
  • Archaic
1 6.7

An embarrassing mistake that shows you were careless

is a broader label for embarrassing serious mistakes often from confusion
big fuckup
vsfoul-up
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A very serious mistake that causes big problems, often because someone was careless

is a broader term for embarrassing serious mistakes often from confusion
balls-up
vsfoul-up
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A situation made into a big mess by careless or bad actions

focuses on any embarrassing serious mistake caused by confusion or incompetence
pratfall
vsfoul-up
1 8.7

An embarrassing mistake someone makes in public

is more about embarrassing or serious mistakes caused by confusion or incompetence
ballup
vsfoul-up
  • NSFW
9.9

A confused, badly organized situation that causes problems

is the broader term for serious embarrassing mistakes from confusion
snafu
vsfoul-up
  • Slang
9.9

In a state of complete confusion because of a mistake or bad planning

is more about a single embarrassing or serious mistake caused by confusion
trip-up
vsfoul-up
6.5

A small mistake that causes embarrassment or trouble

is the general term for embarrassing serious mistakes often from incompetence
muff moment
vsfoul-up
  • Informal
9.9

A short embarrassing mistake you make

is broader, highlighting embarrassing or serious mistakes often from confusion
cockbrained mistake
vsfoul-up
  • Archaic
9.9

A foolish mistake made without thinking that causes trouble

is centered on embarrassing or serious mistakes often rooted in incompetence

Antonyms

1.0

Getting what you want after working hard

How Serious

disaster
1.0
fiasco
76 6.2
foul-up
  • Informal
5 7.7
to blunder
7 4.4
mistake
1.0

Surface Forms

foul-up singular
foul-ups plural

Morphology

foul-up = foul + up (semi-transparent) = foul + up

The noun is built from the phrasal element 'foul up', but its specific sense 'a mistake or blunder' is somewhat lexicalized rather than fully compositional.

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.