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Prepositions after adjectives

Foul of, to, by, for or in?

Foul is used with different prepositions in different meanings. Foul of is the main fixed expression meaning in conflict with rules or authority.

Quick answer

Which prepositions are used with foul?

The fixed expression foul of means in trouble with rules, the law, or authority. Foul to and foul for are generally not standard after the adjective foul. Foul by and foul in usually introduce separate details such as cause or location rather than forming fixed adjective patterns.

The company ran foul of environmental regulations.
He fell foul of the club's disciplinary code.
The kitchen smelled foul in the summer heat.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
foul of + rules/authority

Conflict with laws or expectations

Use foul of to describe getting into trouble with regulations, officials, or accepted standards.

Several firms have run foul of tax laws.
She came foul of local authorities.
2
foul with + substance/smell

Covered or filled with something unpleasant

Use foul with to describe something dirty, polluted, or unpleasantly full of something.

The river was foul with industrial waste.
The air grew foul with smoke.
3
foul in + place/time context

Location or condition adjuncts

After foul, in can introduce a separate phrase of place or condition rather than a fixed adjective pattern.

The water smelled foul in the closed container.
Food goes foul in hot weather.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
foul of
The athlete fell foul of competition rules.
In conflict with rules or authority; standard fixed expression.
foul to
The smell was foul to everyone in the room.
Here to introduces the affected people, not a fixed adjective pattern.
foul by
The canal was made foul by chemical waste.
By introduces the cause; it is not a fixed combination after foul.
foul for
This use is generally nonstandard after the adjective foul.
English normally uses other structures instead.
foul in
The meat smelled foul in the heat.
In introduces a condition or setting, not a fixed adjective pattern.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using foul for as a fixed adjective pattern

Foul for is generally not idiomatic after the adjective foul.

✕ The company was foul for safety violations. ✓ The company fell foul of safety regulations.

Confusing foul of with about

Foul of has a specific meaning related to conflict with rules or authority.

✕ He went foul about the law. ✓ He ran foul of the law.

Using foul to for rule violations

Use foul of when talking about conflict with regulations.

✕ The organisation came foul to industry standards. ✓ The organisation came foul of industry standards.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The factory ran ___ environmental laws.
2. The river became foul ___ sewage.
3. The food smelled foul ___ the hot kitchen.

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Frequently asked questions

What does foul of mean?

It means in conflict with laws, rules, or authority.

Is foul for correct?

It is generally not used as a standard adjective-preposition combination in current English.

Can foul be followed by in?

Yes, but in usually introduces a place or condition rather than forming a fixed expression.

face-to-face-with-in-at-for, to "fair to" or "fair in"? faithful to, in, of, with or for? falling of, in, out, into or off? "false in" or "false to"? famed for, as, in or throughout? familiar with, to, from or in? famous for, in, of, by or as? fanatical about, in, as, for or of? "fantastic for" or "fantastic in"? far from, in, to, for or with? fascinating to, about, in, for or as?

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