foiled operation

[fɔɪld ɑːpəˈreɪʃən]
noun phrasepl: foiled operations
operação frustrada
1. A planned action or mission that has been prevented from succeeding; an operation that was thwarted or stopped before completion
The foiled operation to steal the paintings was discovered by security guards.
A operação frustrada para roubar os quadros foi descoberta pelos guardas de segurança.
2. In military or law enforcement contexts, a strategic plan or tactical mission that failed due to intervention or detection
Police announced a foiled operation targeting the criminal network.
A polícia anunciou uma operação frustrada visando a rede criminosa.
In both American and Brazilian contexts, 'foiled operation' is commonly used in news reporting about law enforcement successes, intelligence operations, and criminal investigations. It conveys authority and competence in preventing harmful activities. In Brazilian Portuguese media, 'operação frustrada' or 'operação malograda' appears frequently in news about police action against organized crime (crime organizado) and drug trafficking operations.
NYC Slang
operation that got shut down, bust operation, failed op
Synonyms / Sinônimos
failed operationthwarted operationaborted operationunsuccessful operationblocked operation
Antonyms / Antônimos
successful operationcompleted operationaccomplished operationexecuted operation

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
operação frustrada
Most common and neutral term used across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
operação que deu ruim
More colloquial, informal usage
São Paulo
operação malograda
More formal, used in official reports
Portugal
operação falhada
Portuguese usage; 'falha' is preferred over 'frustração'

Related Words

foil (verb)thwartpreventobstructmissiontactical operationcovert operation

Related Idioms & Phrases

foil someone's plans
thwart someone's efforts
operation gone wrong
mission impossible (humorously)
plans came to nothing
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