foiled

verb

Definition of foilednext
past tense of foil
as in frustrated
to prevent from achieving a goal in popular fiction the hero will always foil the villain's plans

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of foiled In 2022, internet infrastructure provider Cloudflare also said that the use of security keys had foiled a phishing attempt that tricked a few employees into entering their passwords into a fake login form. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 6 Oct. 2026 Miami’s first possession was foiled when Willis threw high and missed Bell, who was open. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026 Years ago, William had plotted to pollute the the ley lines — the source of all witches and warlocks’ magical powers — which was foiled by a Mary, Graves and their coven sister Tamora (Keegan Connor Tracy). — Mya Copeland, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026 Counsel was enraged that his gambit was foiled by one jury holdout on the insanity argument. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 2 Oct. 2026 Those regulations for liquids in carry-ons stem from 2006, when British officials foiled a plot to bring liquid explosives on flights. — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2026 Through 1964, Sylvester pursued Tweety in a variety of shorts that found the hungry cat continuously foiled by the crafty bird. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2026 About half were foiled or failed, but six people were killed. — Lorne Cook, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026 Their schemes are foiled when real feelings enter the picture. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 24 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foiled
  1. frustrated
  2. thwarted
  3. hampered
  4. baffled
  5. defeated
Verb
  • The churn has frustrated the nonprofit academy, which wanted a consistent partner to help bolster its relationships with advertisers, talent and viewers.
    — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
  • But they also are frustrated by officials being more willing to actively become part of the game.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of frustrated
Verb
  • Monroe thwarted Giulia’s attempt at a move from the top turnbuckle.
    — Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The on-board algorithms that decide how and when to deploy the car's electrical hybrid power were seemingly thwarted by the drivers using less acceleration than usual to deal with the slippery conditions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of thwarted
Verb
  • And that is part of what has hampered us from doing anything.
    — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 5 Oct. 2026
  • As ongoing offensive line struggles and continued pass coverage breakdowns hampered efforts, Washington faced dim prospects entering Week 3’s showdown with the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks.
    — Mike Jones, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of hampered
Verb
  • Beyond being frustrated with the secrecy, locals said they were baffled by the lack of specifics and clarity the stakeholders had about the project, per the records.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2026
  • And just last month, officials in Millcreek, Utah, were baffled to find an unknown camera installed on city property that neither the city nor police requested.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of baffled
Verb
  • Samuel, or Samuil in Bulgarian, was a warrior emperor who battled the Byzantine Empire to expand his kingdom but was ultimately defeated and died shortly afterward in 1014.
    — COSTAS KANTOURIS, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The 1995 Jayhawks went 10-2 and defeated UCLA 51-30 in the bowl game.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of defeated

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foiled
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Cite this Entry

“Foiled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foiled. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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