1
as in blunder
a socially improper or unsuitable act or remark
committed a huge gaffe when she started drinking from the finger bowl
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2
as in mistake
an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy
so-called debates, which seemed to be mainly about seeing which candidate made the most gaffes
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gaffe
That’s too long for anyone, even a champion of rhetorical rope-a-dope, to go without gaffes—which was part of the point.
—
Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
The Yankees would like to see some improvement there between now and Opening Day after some gaffes this spring and last September.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 7 Mar. 2025
At the luxury restaurant, however, that clientele will expect much richer compensation if a service gaffe ruins the patrons’ evening.
—Jon Picoult, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Twists and gaffes happening at the tail end of a race—for which this year’s voting round ended on Tuesday—are nothing new.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gaffe
Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
The Yankees would like to see some improvement there between now and Opening Day after some gaffes this spring and last September.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 7 Mar. 2025
At the luxury restaurant, however, that clientele will expect much richer compensation if a service gaffe ruins the patrons’ evening.
—Jon Picoult, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Twists and gaffes happening at the tail end of a race—for which this year’s voting round ended on Tuesday—are nothing new.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gaffe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaffe
Noun
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The lawyer, author and consulting firm CEO has spent more than 30 years counseling people through their biggest blunders and controversies, from former president George H. W. Bush to Fortune 500 CEOs and professional athletes.—
Ashton Jackson,
CNBC,
8 Apr. 2025
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Russell Westbrook bounced back from his decisive blunder against Minnesota by scoring a season-high 30 points and adding 11 rebounds, six assists and three steals.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
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There have been expensive product mistakes and lots of trial and error with brushes, clips, hair dryers….—
Liz Krieger,
Allure,
15 Apr. 2025
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Such mistakes have been made by many administrations over decades.—
Nicole Foy,
ProPublica,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In the last two decades, five helicopters on commercial sightseeing flights have crashed into the Hudson and East rivers due to mechanical failures, pilot errors, or collisions, resulting in 20 fatalities.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Apr. 2025
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In the last two decades, five helicopters on commercial sightseeing flights have fallen into the Hudson and East rivers as a result of mechanical failures, pilot errors or collisions, killing 20 people.—
Jake Offenhartz,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Smith lightened the level of the indiscretion, which goes deeper in Molnar’s version.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
23 Mar. 2025
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Ford hoped his suddenly patriotic electorate would forget about the province’s struggling hospitals and colleges, its bonkers traffic, and the indiscretions that have marked his tenure, including a real-estate scandal that is the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation.—
Chris Jones,
The Atlantic,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Transport boxes, electronic scales and gaffs, sharp blades that can be attached to roosters' legs during fights, were found on the property, the news statement said.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
15 Feb. 2025
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Anglers need both an angling license and a recreational turtle license to harvest turtles using angling gear like hook and line, landing nets and gaff hooks.—
Kay Johnson,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gaffe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaffe. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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