Foiler

A foiler is a person or thing that prevents someone or something from succeeding. It is an entity, whether animate or inanimate, that actively obstructs, frustrates, or thwarts an attempt, plan, or action. The term suggests an active role in disruption, going beyond mere lack of support or passive opposition. A foiler directly interferes with progress, often deliberately or with significant impact. The effectiveness of a foiler depends on its capability to counteract the efforts of the subject being foiled, effectively nullifying their actions.

Foiler meaning with examples

• The unexpected rain proved to be a major foiler of the outdoor wedding, forcing the ceremony indoors and dampening the celebratory mood. Guests were still able to enjoy the wedding, but the original plan had to be drastically altered. The rain acted as an environmental foiler in the situation. The bride was upset by the change, but the new plans went ahead.
• In a classic spy thriller, a double agent might be a foiler of the hero's plans, feeding false information and sabotaging their missions at every turn. Their cunning actions were a roadblock to any type of success, always throwing the mission off. Every plan the hero developed was ruined by their opponent.
• The unexpected power outage acted as a foiler to the online exam, disrupting the test for many students. The server went offline, and many people struggled to regain access after the system rebooted. This situation caused an interruption to all the students taking the test, which required it to be rescheduled.
• A lack of funding can act as a serious foiler to a research project, limiting resources and hindering progress. Without these resources the project was unable to continue, as the materials and services needed were no longer available. This can stop the project from being completed.
• An aggressive marketing campaign was the foiler to the small startup’s attempt to capture market share, overwhelming them with its advertising budget. The market's attention was taken away from the small company due to these powerful campaigns. They could not capture new clients.