fall/run afoul of

idiom

chiefly US
: to get into trouble because of not obeying or following (the law, a rule, etc.)
After leaving home he fell afoul of the law.
an investor who has run afoul of stock market rules

Examples of fall/run afoul of in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web And the landlords who have ratcheted up rents by double-digit percentages have not run afoul of Montgomery County’s law because of the long delay in approving regulations to enforce the new rules. Katie Shepherd, Washington Post, 24 June 2024 But some of the businesses have run afoul of the law, even as states such as New Mexico have legalized marijuana. Emily Feng, NPR, 24 June 2024 Opponents argue that in addition to violating the civil rights of trans youth, the laws also run afoul of parents’ rights to make decisions about their child’s medical care. Cnn.com, The Mercury News, 24 June 2024 By Khari Johnson | CalMatters California regulators are moving to restrict how employers can use artificial intelligence to screen workers and job applicants — warning that using AI to measure tone of voice, facial expressions and reaction times may run afoul of the law. Calmatters, Orange County Register, 20 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for fall/run afoul of 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fall/run afoul of.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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Cite this Entry

“Fall/run afoul of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fall%2Frun%20afoul%20of. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.

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