English Meaning & Definitions
Prevented from succeeding; thwarted or frustrated in an attempt or plan.
- “The foiled bank robber was arrested before he could escape.”
- “Their attempts to steal the priceless painting were foiled by the advanced security system.”
Past tense and past participle of 'foil': to prevent something considered wrong or undesirable from succeeding.
- “Quick-thinking security guards foiled the plot to breach the vault.”
- “Bad weather foiled our plans for a weekend camping trip.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “foiled”.
Derived from the verb 'foil', meaning to frustrate or prevent, which comes from Old French 'fouler' (to trample, oppress, or defeat), ultimately derived from Latin 'fullare' (to full cloth). A separate historical root relates to 'foil' as a thin sheet of metal, derived from Latin 'folium' (leaf), which contributes to phrases like 'beaten at every turn' but specifically relates to the obstruction sense through the Middle English meaning of 'to blunt or defeat'.
Think of a villain shouting 'Curses, foiled again!' when their clever plans are ruined.
Frequently Asked Questions About “foiled”
1. What is the meaning of “foiled” in English?
In English, foiled (adjective) is defined as: “Prevented from succeeding; thwarted or frustrated in an attempt or plan.”.
2. How do you use “foiled” in a sentence?
“The foiled bank robber was arrested before he could escape.”
3. What are English synonyms of “foiled”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “foiled”?
Derived from the verb 'foil', meaning to frustrate or prevent, which comes from Old French 'fouler' (to trample, oppress, or defeat), ultimately derived from Latin 'fullare' (to full cloth). A separate historical root relates to 'foil' as a thin sheet of metal, derived from Latin 'folium' (leaf), which contributes to phrases like 'beaten at every turn' but specifically relates to the obstruction sense through the Middle English meaning of 'to blunt or defeat'.
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